Students On A Quest SILML Volume 5
by Britwitch
Summary: A continuation of SILML - the friends find themselves somewhere strange... UPDATED AND COMPLETED!
1. PART 37

The friends landed in a heap with a groan. They untangled themselves and looked around, their mouths open wide in amazement. Wonder sparkling in their eyes, confusion evident on their faces.  
  
" What the…?" started Lucy.  
  
" How…?" frowned Mark.  
  
" Where the hell are we now?!" Rosie yelled.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
The friends stood slowly and looked around them.  
  
" This can't be real…" gasped Lucy as they took in their surroundings. Once again they found themselves surrounded by trees but the plants surrounding them were unlike any others they had ever seen. Their trunks and bark were blue in colour. Some light blue like the colour of the summer sky, others were navy like the midnight blue of nighttime. The leaves that grew from the branches above them were various shades of pinks and purples. They rubbed their eyes, perhaps it was just a trick of the light.  
  
" Is…er…is everyone seeing what I think I'm seeing…?" Mark mumbled, as if he didn't want to state the obvious.  
  
" Uh huh…" nodded Rosie, blinking madly.  
  
" This has got to be a dream…" Jenny stared open mouthed at the unusual foliage around them.  
  
" Well wherever we are…" groaned Guillaume, " I can't see any sign of help anywhere…" He still held Jo tightly in his arms, her face pale and her breathing weak. Guillaume's dark eyes looked at the trees mistrustfully as if he expected something to leap out from behind the blue bark and purple leaves. Simon stood with his eyes wide open like a small child, shaking his head in disbelief.  
  
" I don't believe it…" he muttered, " I never thought it possible…" His blue eyes were bright with excitement. The others glanced over at him and stifled giggles. His well-formed eyebrows frowned. " What? What is it?"  
  
" It's…it's your hair…" giggled Bertrande.  
  
" You look…well…you look a little windswept!" grinned Martin. Simon raised a hand to his head and his once carefully spiked hair was now a mass of fluff. Simon groaned and tried to reshape his blonde hair.  
  
" That's what travelling through a Gyratory'll do to your hair!" laughed Amos as they watched Simon struggling to tease his hair back into the spikes that had been blow out by the winds of Gyratory.  
  
" It's not funny…" pouted Simon, giving up on his hair and sticking out his lower lip slightly.  
  
" Oh I think you'll find it is…" sighed Phillipe, trying to untangle the mass that used to be his own slick ponytail with a determined look in his eyes.  
  
" Any idea where we are now…?" Marius asked, glancing around them for any kind of clue. Rosie shrugged.  
  
" I have no idea!" she shook her head. " Unless this is 'Forbidden Planet' or some other random show that I have yet to see then I haven't got a clue…" Glancing down at her clothes she gasped and looked around at the others. " Hey…hey look at our clothes…" The friends looked at their apparel and sounds of surprise filled the air. Their clothes had changed, not into anything unrecognisable but into their own clothes. Rosie, Mark, Jenny, Lucy and Jo were now dressed in the jeans, t-shirts and tops that they had been wearing before they entered the red Gyratory in the woods that had transported them in the world of Les Misérables. Marius and Phillipe were once more dressed like the nineteenth century men they had once been. Bertrande was once more dressed in a long dress, Guillaume and Martin once more wore the peasant clothes that they had worn when the friends had met them in Artigat.  
  
" Nice trousers…!" grinned Simon, looking at the leather trousers and codpieces sported by Martin and Guillaume.  
  
" Shut it fluffy!" sniped Guillaume, grinning as Simon pulled a face at him. Amos was once more wearing his leather jacket, white t-shirt and jeans and Simon was still wearing his blue toned military gear that he had been wearing back in Jerusalem.  
  
" Wh-what can it mean…?" frowned Phillipe, trying to hide the fact that he was happy to no longer be wearing denim.  
  
" Search me…" Rosie frowned and looked around at the trees. " But something tells me…guys…we're not in a musical anymore…"  
  
" Aah…where is Toto when you need him eh?" laughed Lucy.  
  
" Toto?" exclaimed an astonished Marius.  
  
" Who's he…?" frowned Martin.  
  
" I know! I know!" grinned Amos leaping up and down. " That's from 'The Wizard of Oz' – I saw that at the movies once."  
  
" " Aahh, the movies re-enter the conversation once more…" sighed Phillipe.  
  
" Toto is dog belonging to the heroine of the story, a young girl called Dorothy…" explained Lucy.  
  
" She lives in Kansas in America and is transported through a twister into a magical world called Oz…" continued Rosie.  
  
" Twister…?" Bertrande raised an inquisitive eyebrow.  
  
" It's a whirl wind – a big one!" grinned Mark. " They're really called tornadoes…they're natural phenomena where, basically, hot air and cold air meet and cause a tornado…a giant spiralling wind that…well sucks up stuff…I think…" frowned Mark trying to remember vaguely what they were taught in school.  
  
" Thanks for that oh so scientific explanation!" grinned Phillipe.  
  
" Wait a minute, wait a minute…" Simon raised his hands to stop the conversation, " I know I'm new to all this Gyratory stuff but doesn't what he just say sound familiar to anyone here?!" The group was silent as they digested what Simon was suggesting.  
  
" I think he may be right…" Guillaume gently laid Jo on the floor and walked over to join them. " Those tornado things do sound like Gyratories to me…and this Oz place…" Guillaume's dark eyes looked sceptical, " What did it look like…?"  
  
" Oh come on…" Lucy laughed. " You can't be serious…" she finished less then confidently as her eyes met the serious ones of Guillaume.  
  
" Wasn't 'The Wizard of Oz' a musical…?" Amos asked rhetorically as Rosie's eyes grew wide.  
  
" When Dorothy arrived there she was wearing her own clothes…" Rosie swallowed nervously.  
  
" Oh great!" groaned Jenny. " Now we're in Oz!"  
  
" We don't know that…" started Marius only to be cut off.  
  
" Well where else would have blue trees for crying out loud!" snapped Jenny. Martin placed a placating hand on Jenny's shoulder.  
  
" If we're in Oz…we're in Oz, there's nothing we can do about it…" he said gently, looking into Jenny's blue eyes. " Now then…any chance we can find someone to help Jo in this place…?"  
  
" I suppose we could look for Munchkins or something…" Rosie suggested.  
  
" What?!" came the astounded reply.  
  
" Help…" Rosie said firmly. " Let's just leave it at that shall we…!" Her eyes were serious and so the questions stopped.  
  
" Come on then…" Guillaume went back over to Jo and picked her up carefully, resting her head against his shoulder. " Let's get going…I don't know about you but I don't fancy sitting around waiting for these Monchkins or whatever they are to come and find us!"  
  
" They're Munchkins…and no…neither do I!" smiled Jenny, her voice once again calm. Guillaume glanced around and spotted a gap in the trees.  
  
" Let's go this way…" he said wandering into the trees, followed by the others. Simon was the last of the group to leave the glade and as he stepped into the trees he heard a sound come from behind him, the sound of something falling. He glanced over his shoulder, his blue eyes searching the glade and the trees.  
  
" Funny…" he frowned. " I'm sure I heard something…" He shook his head and scolded himself for being paranoid and strode into the trees one hand on the gun still attached to his leg. Back in the glade a groan could be heard.  
  
" Good move…" an unimpressed female voice came through the air, coming from the trees. " They could have found us!" Two bright blue eyes looked out from the shadows of the trees and watched as the group headed away. A growling noise answered her and she rolled her eyes. " Well I could have told you that Regits aren't meant to climb trees!" The slim figure slipped out from the trees and crouched low to the ground, her blue eyes following the group as they walked away. She was human in every respect apart from one. She had wings, large silver and blue feathery wings. A large animal followed her out of the undergrowth, its fur coat was orange and striped with black. Its large yellow eyes followed her gaze. " Come on…" she whispered, flicking some of her thick blonde hair out of her face. " We can't lose them…if they're who we think they are…our lives depend on them!" She glanced around once more before jumping into the air, spreading her silver and blue wings and flying up above the trees. The animal looked up at her hovering above the ground and growled in annoyance as it padded into the trees following her and the group of strangers into the trees. 


	2. PART 38

" Come on…" she whispered, flicking some of her thick blonde hair out of her face. " We can't lose them…if they're who we think they are…our lives depend on them!" She glanced around once more before jumping into the air, spreading her silver and blue wings and flying up above the trees. The animal looked up at her hovering above the ground and growled in annoyance as it padded into the trees following her and the group of strangers into the trees.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
The group of friends made their way quickly through the strange plants and trees. Guillaume leading the way, Jo hanging limply in his arms, a look of pure determination set on his face. The others followed quickly behind, no one even noticing the speed with which they were marching through the undergrowth. All of them felt nervous, all could feel the hairs on their arms and necks standing up. They put it down to the lack of sunlight and therefore the lack of warmth but deep inside they sensed it was something else. Simon brought up the rear of the group, every now and then glancing back over his shoulder and surveying the trees and bushes behind them. Rosie turned back to see him do it twice in a matter of moments.  
  
" Simon…" she started, " Do you have some strange twitch that none of us know about…?" Simon snapped his head around and his pure blue eyes met hers.  
  
" Huh?" he sounded and looked confused.  
  
" What's with the looking over your shoulder every few seconds?" Rosie grinned.  
  
" Oh…it's nothing…it's just…" He shrugged, " I just have the feeling we're being watched…" He looked up expecting a rebuke but Rosie's face was serious and she nodded slightly.  
  
" I know what you mean…" she whispered, eyeing the foliage on either side of them with distrust.  
  
" Come on…" barked Guillaume from the front. " I think I can see the end of the trees ahead…" Simon exchanged a worried glance with Rosie as they continued on through the trees and shortly they too could see what looked like sunlight in front of them.  
  
" Thank god…" Lucy breathed a sigh of relief as the trees around them began to thin. The end of the 'forest' came upon them very quickly and all of a sudden the friends found themselves shading their eyes to try and see.  
  
" Can anyone see…anything?!" Mark squinted as he held a hand over his eyes.  
  
" No…" Jenny screwed up her eyes to try and see what was in front of her but she couldn't. The light was so bright that the friends could barely see their feet upon the ground.  
  
" Let's get back under the trees…" Phillipe shouted and they hurried back under the protective canopy of purple and pink leaves.  
  
" Well wherever we are…it's a sunny day!" grinned Amos.  
  
" A little too sunny for my liking…" groaned Marius.  
  
" This is just great…" Martin moaned, " We're never going to get anywhere! We can't see past the end of our noses out there and I don't know about you but I don't fancy going back in there!" He jabbed a thumb back in the direction they had just come from.  
  
" Hey! Watch it…you almost had my eye out!" came a disgruntled voice from behind him.  
  
" Sorry…" he said turning around. His eyes opened wide and his mouth dropped open in surprise. " Er…er…oh my…" He stepped backwards and bumped into Marius.  
  
" Martin be careful you almost…" Marius started as he turned round but he too lost the power of speech when he spotted who was behind them. The rest of the group turned upon hearing the gasps from Martin and Marius, all of them found them selves staring at a young girl. She had blonde hair, cut just above her shoulders and the brightest blue eyes they had seen. Even Simon's eyes paled in comparison. The strange thing about her was that she appeared to by flying. Floating at least.  
  
" Hello…" she smiled warmly, a small frown creased her brow as they group just stood and stared. She rolled her unbelievably blue eyes and sighed. " I thought you spoke English…?" she said rather than asked of them.  
  
" We-we do…" mumbled Rosie, looking up at the young girl who appeared to be floating in mid air.  
  
" Oh that's good…" grinning the girl, the frown disappearing from her almost elfin face.  
  
" What…I mean who are you…?" Guillaume's voice was very quiet and the girl had to strain to hear him.  
  
" I am Lina…" she bowed gracefully, all without touching the ground. " I am pleased to welcome you and I have come to guide you to Vaniria…" explained Lina.  
  
" Guide us to where…?!" came the unanimous answer from the group.  
  
A rustling in the bushes stopped their conversation and the friends froze as the leaves parted and out crept a large animal. The creature was orange and had black stripes covering the length of its body. Two large round eyes, golden in colour, looked at them as it stopped in front of them.  
  
" Tiger!" screamed Bertrande, scrabbling to get behind Mark. Various yells and cries emanated from the group as they looked with frightened eyes upon the creature that had appeared beside them. " Tiger! What's a tiger and where is it?!" Lina leapt bravely in front of the group, waving a small dagger in front of her. The friends could now see how it was that she had floated in the air. On her back were two beautiful wings, silver and blue in colour. " Whatever it is, Billabong and I will protect you!" she announced bravely.  
  
" Billabong?" Phillipe was very confused.  
  
" My Regit…" Lina continued, her eyes scouring the bushes for whatever it was that had scared them so.  
  
" What on earth is a Regit?" Rosie was baffled. Lina laughed and pointed at the orange and black creature before them.  
  
" He is of course…" she glanced over her shoulder at them and grinned before turning back to the bushes. " Now then…where's this tiger thing then?"  
  
" Er…that is…" Marius pointed nervously at Billabong who looked as insulted as it was possible for a Tiger to be. " Billabong?!" Lina looked at them in amazement. " He's no Tiger…he's a Regit!" she laughed. " Nothing to be scared of there! He's perfectly harmless!"  
  
" He's…he's your pet?" Lucy looked at the animal and then at Lina.  
  
" Of course he is…I liked him better when he was little, a cub…" she groaned, sheathing the dagger and attaching it to the belt around her slim waist. " He was so cute and cuddly but now…he's huge! I can't carry him or anything. All he does is eat. He's like a giant stripy door stop with legs!" She looked sorrowfully at the animal that looked at her with apologetic eyes. She stroked his head and tickled his left ear. " I know…it's not your fault…" she sighed, " I guess you're just big boned or something…"  
  
" Can he…can Billabong talk?" Jenny blinked in amazement at what she was hearing.  
  
" Can he talk?! Of course he can't talk! Whoever heard of a talking Regit! Honestly…" Lina laughed loudly and Billabong made a noise that they could only assume was the sound of Regit having hysterics. Jenny blushed violently.  
  
" What?" she shrugged to the others. " It might have been the case…after all the trees are blue and she does have wings!" Jenny frowned as Lina wiped a tear of laughter from her eye and tried to regain her composure.  
  
" Well, I suppose it was a fairly honest mistake…" Lina smiled gently at Jenny and was relieved to see it returned. " Now then!" Lina clapped her hands together gleefully, " Shouldn't we get going…?"  
  
" Er…how far is this Van…Van…" Guillaume asked, looking at the pallid Jo in his arms.  
  
" Vaniria…" finished Lina, " It's about an hours walk…don't worry, we'll get Jo there before it's too late!" she winked before launching herself up into the sky. Her shape cast a large bird-like shadow upon the ground beyond the trees. " Walk in my shadow…" she yelled, " You'll be able to see where you're going!" The group threw each other mystified looks as they walked out into the blinding light and into Lina's shadow. Relief covered their faces when they found that they could see much better now that Lina was providing shade from above. Their surroundings were much more pleasant than the trees had been in the forest. Wide-open plains of grass (which looked reassuringly green) stretched as far as the eye could see, covered in a myriad of coloured flowers. Billabong appeared by their side. " To save time…" they heard Lina's voice from above. " I'd put Jo on Billabong…that way you can walk faster Guillaume! Don't worry, he's perfectly safe!" Guillaume looked down at the beast at his side, then shifted his gaze to Jo. His brow furrowed as he sighed and gently laid her on the back of the Regit. He looked down into the golden eyes looking up at him. Guillaume couldn't be sure, and he certainly wasn't going to ask anybody, but he could have sworn that Billabong winked at him. He watched as the Regit started to walk forwards as Lina began to fly overhead. The group started to walk,  
  
" Well…" sighed Marius, " This is nice huh?"  
  
" Yes…lovely…" shrugged Bertrande.  
  
" So…are we in Oz?" Martin asked as they wandered along through the grass.  
  
" Well…there's no sign of a yellow brick road anywhere!" grinned Lucy.  
  
" And I don't remember any flying girls in it either…" Mark added thoughtfully.  
  
" Monkeys…yes! Girls…no!" smiled Rosie. " And I don't remember any giant tig…I mean Regits!"  
  
" So where are we? And who is she?" frowned Simon.  
  
" No idea…but she seems friendly enough…" Jenny glanced up at the girl flying high above them.  
  
" What about this Vaniria place…does it sound familiar to anyone…?" Amos shrugged off his leather jacket and flipped it over his shoulder as the temperature rose.  
  
" Nope…" Mark shook his head. " But wherever it is…we'll find out soon enough!"  
  
" She knows who we are…" Guillaume said quietly, receiving confused looks from the others.  
  
" What?" Martin frowned.  
  
" She said… 'don't worry, we'll get Jo there before it's too late' and she called me Guillaume…how did she know our names when we haven't introduced ourselves! And how did she know Jo needed help?" Guillaume glanced up suspiciously.  
  
" Well, she's obviously been following us…" began Rosie.  
  
" I guess she overheard us talking…" suggested Phillipe.  
  
" And one look at Jo would tell anyone that she's not well…" Marius added cautiously, not wanting to dwell on it.  
  
" Yeah…I suppose…" Guillaume smiled weakly. They continued walking in the shadow of the flying girl. The giant Regit padding silently along, Jo laying motionless on his back.  
  
" There!" Lina shouted after a while. " It the distance! That's it…that's Vaniria!" The friends strained their eyes and could just make out a speck on the horizon. Their eyes were gradually adjusting to the unbelievable brightness and they could see that the speck was in fact a city.  
  
" Well…at least help isn't too far away!" Marius smiled broadly.  
  
" Yes…" Guillaume's eyes narrowed as they walked on, towards the city in the distance. " …something tells me there's more than help waiting for us…" he muttered under his breath as Vaniria drew ever closer. 


	3. PART 39

" There!" Lina shouted after a while. " It the distance! That's it…that's Vaniria!" The friends strained their eyes and could just make out a speck on the horizon. Their eyes were gradually adjusting to the unbelievable brightness and they could see that the speck was in fact a city.  
  
" Well…at least help isn't too far away!" Marius smiled broadly.  
  
" Yes…" Guillaume's eyes narrowed as they walked on, towards the city in the distance. " …some thing tells me there's more than help waiting for us…" he muttered under his breath as Vaniria drew ever closer.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
As the group got closer they could see that Vaniria was in fact a castle within a small city all of which was surrounded by a large wall made of pale stone. They raised their curious eyes as the walls towered above them, on the top of the wall they could just make out banners blowing in a breeze and guards of some description looking down at them. Guards who were equally as curious as they were. Lina swooped down from above and landed delicately in front of them. The friends blinked momentarily as their shade was removed but they quickly found that their eyes had adapted sufficiently to allow them to see clearly without it. In front of them were two enormous gates, which looked as if they were made of strong wood. Clearly wood from the forest they had landed in as the gates had a definite blue tinge.  
  
" This is it…" Lina looked at the gates with a warm glow in her eyes. " This is Vaniria…" Lina took a deep breath before marching up to the gates and knocking smartly on the wood. A small panel just to her left opened from which a face popped out and viewed the group with disdain. The face was round with ruddy cheeks and beady eyes behind some round spectacles.  
  
" Yes…?" enquired the Gatekeeper.  
  
" Let us in then…" Lina grinned.  
  
" Lina…you of all people should be aware of the procedure for gaining entry to the city…" the Gatekeeper sneered.  
  
" We haven't got time for this…" she frowned, glancing back at the others. Billabong was stood by their side and Jo was looking paler and paler by the minute. She returned her gaze to the Gatekeeper who was still glaring at them with disapproval written firmly on his face. " Fine! Be like that!" Lina groaned, rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. " I, Lina of Crystallia, ask you to grant us entry to the walled city and tell their majesties that I await an audience for she has found…the strangers…" Lina announced grandly. The Gatekeeper's glasses promptly fell of his nose and his beady eyes opened wide.  
  
" You mean they…they are…they are…?" he stammered, gesturing a podgy hand at the group stood behind Lina.  
  
" Yes!" Lina's voice was suddenly frustrated. " Now hurry up and let us in…we must get Jo to Mithras before it's too late!" she snapped. The Gatekeeper nodded fervently and the panel slammed shut. Lina turned round and grinned at the group as the large doors began to slowly open.  
  
The friends found themselves reaching for each others hands as the gates started to move. Guillaume moved forwards and squeezed Jo's hand gently. Lina began to walk forwards and, after taking a few deep breaths and swallowing nervously, the friends followed her. As they passed through the gates they could see hundreds of people milling about. They all looked fairly normal, no more wings at any rate. They were dressed in what the friends could only describe as Medieval looking clothes. Beyond the gates was a large market place with some stalls and a few trees here and there, once again with decidedly blue looking bark and purple leaves. The market place was surrounded by what looked like small cottages and houses. Further back they could see the castle, rising up from the small dwellings like a mountain.  
  
" I can't believe it…" mumbled Rosie as they looked around them. One by one, the people in the square noticed their appearance with Lina and stopped to stare. Soon, every single person they could see was stood staring open mouthed at them. There was silence within the walled city, a stunned silence, an awed silence. The friends glanced around them with confused eyes.  
  
" Wh-what are they staring at…?" whispered Lucy, afraid to break the silence.  
  
" Maybe they've spotted Guillaume's trousers…" smirked Simon before receiving a swift elbow in the ribs, courtesy of Guillaume.  
  
" Or…" hissed Guillaume, " Maybe it's the large and frightening looking gun strapped to your leg!"  
  
" You know…in different circumstances that comment…" started Simon before receiving another nudge in the ribs, this time from Jenny.  
  
" Enough!" Jenny frowned, sighing. " Honestly…it's like going on a day trip with a bunch of school children!"  
  
The silent crowds nudged each other and whispered to one another. Lina continued to walk forwards and the crowds parted to let them through. Quiet exclamations of " It's true" and " They're here" were carried on the breeze. As the friends walked through the people, some people began to clap while others started to cheer. Little by little, the silence was transformed into joyful shouting. Within seconds there was not a silent person within earshot. They continued to approach the castle with cheering ringing in their ears. Lina led them up some large stone steps, leading up to the entrance of the castle. They reached the top and could see another large doorway before them. This one had guards on either side. Dressed in armour that once again had a medieval feel to it.  
  
" What's with all the cheering?" Mark frowned at Lina. Her startlingly blue eyes looked into his and she smiled.  
  
" They're just happy to see you all here!" Lina's voice was bright and the friends could only exchange confused looks.  
  
" But how…I mean…how do they know who we are?" Marius' brow was covered in lines of thought.  
  
" Or more to the point…" Phillipe added darkly, one of his eyebrows raised in suspicion. " Who do they think we are?!"  
  
" Oh…" groaned Lina, " There are more important things to worry about right now!" she gestured to Jo, who was once again in the arms of Guillaume. " Come on, first things first. Let's get Jo inside and then I'll tell you all about it!" " Promise?" Martin and Amos asked simultaneously.  
  
" Promise!" she grinned before turning on her heels and marching through the now open doorway.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
The friends followed Lina as she practically marched down the long corridor. They could hardly keep up and wondered if in fact she wasn't flying along. The corridor was once again lined with guards, all with black expressions but curious glints in their eyes.  
  
" Er Lina…?" muttered Guillaume, carrying Jo in his arms. " Just where are you taking us…?"  
  
" To meet the King and Queen of course," came the demeaning reply.  
  
" Of course…" he mumbled sarcastically to himself, " Where else would we be going?!"  
  
The end of the corridor drew nearer and without waiting for the guards to open the doors for them, Lina burst through them.  
  
The hall was huge. The largest room any of them had ever seen, with high vaulted ceilings and banners hanging between the long stained glass windows along it's sides. At the far end of the hall was a raised platform and on which were two golden thrones. The friends were too far away to identify those sat in them but they weren't going to be for long. Lina, it seemed wasn't standing on ceremony for anybody and she marched swiftly into the hall followed by the friends. The floor was made of large slabs of stone in a checked pattern. Alternating panels of red veined marble and golden coloured stone covered the floor.  
  
" It's beautiful…" gasped Lucy as the passed some ornate sculptures.  
  
" I don't think this is the time to look at the scenery…" grinned Martin as they scurried along after Lina.  
  
Upon reached the raised platform Lina bowed gracefully. The friends took this opportunity to glance at the people sat in the thrones. On the right hand side was sat a man with hair the colour of coal and eyes that rivalled Lina's in brilliancy. His hair was to his shoulders and he had a small beard. On the right was sat a woman whose eyes were the brightest emerald green in colour and whose jet-black hair fell in wave after wave past her shoulders. Both of them wore crowns of gold, studded with red stones and they smiled warmly at the friends who could only smile back.  
  
" Your majesties…" Lina stood up once more.  
  
" Lina…how happy we are to see again…" smiled the woman who the friends could only assume was the Queen. " And I see we are lucky to have visitors in the court…"  
  
" Please…" the King's voice was as deep as a valley but as soft as the breeze. " Won't you introduce them…"  
  
" Your majesty…" Lina bowed her head as she opened her mouth to speak.  
  
" Er…your majesty…" Guillaume stepped forwards and a gasp rose from the people in the hall. " I don't mean to be rude…" He said bowing his dark head, " But my friend…she needs your help…and soon!" He raised his eyes to look at the King and was relieved to see an expression of concern.  
  
" Of course…" he clapped his hands and two guards appeared by his side. " The pleasantries can wait until Jo is well…" he turned to the guards. " Take them to Mithras immediately." One of the armoured guards stepped forwards with his arms outstretched to take Jo from Guillaume. Guillaume frowned and stepped back.  
  
" I don't think so…" he said darkly, his brown eyes blazing into the eyes of the guard before him. " Wherever she goes…I go" he finished with a tone of defiance. The King nodded and gestured for them to follow the guards. The others stepped forwards but the Queen raised her hand.  
  
" I think the rest of the group would like to visit the rest of the castle…" she waved her hand in the direction of one of the other guards. " Be good enough to show them around…" she smiled softly.  
  
" But what about Jo…?" Rosie frowned, watching Guillaume and Lina walk out of the hall, with Jo still being carried protectively by Guillaume.  
  
" She'll be fine…" the Queen's voice held a motherly quality that automatically calmed the friends but couldn't quite quell the fears within their hearts as heavy doors closed behind Guillaume and Lina. The noise of their shutting echoing through the large hall.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
" This Mithras…" started Guillaume, following Lina and the guards up a winding staircase. " Who exactly is he and what makes you think he can help Jo?"  
  
" He is the King and Queen's personal physician, he is one of the most well read people in Vaniria and according the legend it is he who will open Jo's eyes." Lina's voice held a certainty that Guillaume wanted to believe but that he somehow couldn't comprehend.  
  
" Legend?" he frowned.  
  
" I'll tell you all about it later…" sighed Lina as they reached the top and came to yet another blue coloured door. " Now then…in you go, do whatever Mithras tells you and don't worry…" Lina smiled squeezing his shoulder, "…she'll be fine!" With that she skipped back down the staircase followed by the guard. Guillaume shook his head and kicked the door before him, carrying Jo meant he had no hands free to knock with.  
  
" Yes…" a voice came from behind the door. " Who is it?"  
  
" It's…" Guillaume rolled his eyes, how could any one know who he was. " It's Guillaume and Jo…" There was no reply. Guillaume sighed and was about to turn around and go back down the stairs when the door was flung open, Guillaume felt someone grab his arm and drag them both into the room. " Hey…" he started as he stumbled into the room.  
  
" I can't believe it!" an excited voice greeted him. " You're actually here! Jo and Guillaume are actually here!" Guillaume frowned and looked at the excitable person before him. The person he could only assume was Mithras was smiling from ear to ear. He was dressed in long robes of some description, covered in tears and stains. His light brown hair was quite long and looked in need of a good trim. It didn't look like it had seen a comb in the last few years either. It stood up all over his head. His eyes were grey and sparkled with enthusiasm. He had a slim build and he looked about twenty in age.  
  
" Y-you know who we are…?" Guillaume frowned, keeping a tight hold of Jo. Cautious as to whether this youth could be trusted, despite how well read he may be.  
  
" Of course I do!" Mithras laughed gently. " Now put her over there and we can get on with things…" he said cheerfully. Guillaume wandered over to what looked like the medieval equivalent of a doctor's examination table, covered in red velvet, and gently laid Jo on it.  
  
" What…what are you going to do…?" Guillaume's voice was all at once concerned.  
  
" Oh nothing for you to worry about…" Mithras grinned. " All she has to do is drink a potion and she'll be fine!"  
  
" A potion…?" Guillaume glanced at the pale face of Jo, her breathing was getting fainter and fainter. " Are you sure that's going to be enough…?"  
  
" Well I hope so!" Mithras winked wandering over to a cupboard. " Now then I know it's in here some where…" he muttered as he started to rummage. The clinking of bottles filled the air. " Feel free to talk to her…" his voice came from the cupboard.  
  
" But she's…she's unconscious…" Guillaume frowned.  
  
" That doesn't mean she can't hear you!" Mithras tutted as he continued to search. Mithras paused and his face appeared around the door of the cupboard. " Plus…just in case this doesn't work…this…" Mithras swallowed nervously. " This may be your last chance to…" He lowered his grey eyes to the floor.  
  
" What do you mean…?" Guillaume's voice became harsher as panic began to build within his stomach.  
  
" Well all being well the potion will revive her and all will be well…but if it's too late…then…" Mithras' grey eyes briefly met those of Guillaume. " Then I'm afraid there's…there's nothing I can do…" Guillaume felt a pain stabbing at his heart.  
  
" What?!" Guillaume gasped, seizing Jo's hand tightly in his.  
  
" But that won't be the case!" Mithras smiled, the joy returning to his voice. " The legend says Jo will be revived and revived she will be!" he finished returning his head to the cupboard. " But just in case…" he mumbled. Guillaume knelt down next to her and glanced at Mithras whose head was still deep within a cupboard. He leant his head nearer to hers and sighed, letting a hand trace the side of her face.  
  
" Jo…I…" he swallowed and tried to ignore the painful lump that had risen into his throat. He closed his dark eyes for a second and tried to gather his thoughts. He reopened them and looked at her face, her hand still in his. * " Je ne sais pas si vous pouvez m'entendre…" he whispered, confused as to why his words came out in French. " ...mais…si vous pouvez... je vouloir que vous sachiez que je vous aime…" He felt the familiar feeling of tears welling up in his eyes and he tried to blink them away. " Est-ce que vous avez apporté le soleil de nouveau dans ma vie et devriez vous me laisser maintenant... ma vie sera toujours dans l'ombre... mais le soleil brillera pour toujours à mon coeur..." Guillaume felt the tears build once more and he sighed, a gentle smile crossing his lips. "Votre sorcellerie m'a certainement enchanté!" he rubbed her cheek once more before moving away and trying to hold back the tears.  
  
" Aha!" Mithras shouted triumphantly across the room, Guillaume turned to see him brandishing a small vile which contained a violently pink concoction. The bottle was covered in dust and Guillaume winced as he watched Mithras pull a cobweb from around the cork stopper. " I found it!" Mithras beamed as he brought the bottle over. He gently removed the cork stopper and paused. Mithras looked into Guillaume's eyes. " Do you want to give her the potion or…or should I?"  
  
" I don't know…wasn't that bit included in the legend!" Guillaume spat callously, trying not to let the tears get the better of him.  
  
" No…" Mithras said thoughtfully, seemingly oblivious to Guillaume's pain or attitude. " But if it was important I'd have thought it would have been…" Mithras shrugged. " So do you want to or shall I?" Mithras asked once more.  
  
" You…you do it…" Guillaume said after a moment's thought, turning his face away keeping hold of Jo's hand.  
  
" Alright then…" Mithras leant towards Jo and lifted her head so that it was resting on his arm. He opened her lips and positioned the vile there. " Are you sure you don't want to do this…?" Mithras asked one last time. Guillaume simply shook his head, not wanting to turn back to Mithras and show him the tears that had started to fall from his dark brown eyes. " Fine…here we go then…" he added chirpily tipping the bottle and letting the brilliantly pink liquid flow into her mouth. Mithras put her head back down and leant back. Looking intently at her face, looking for any sign of movement. Jo's chest rose as she took a deep breath. Mithras was about to yell joyfully when it stopped. Jo's chest had ceased to rise and fall. Jo was no longer breathing. The sparkle in Mithras' eye faded and he lowered his head. " We…we were to late…" he muttered sadly. Guillaume sighed heavily as the tears began to flow ever faster from his eyes.  
  
**"…Au revoir mon soleil... je vous reverrai dans mes rêves..." he whispered sadly, kissing her palm gently. His brow creased and the tears continued to fall. It felt as if his heart had stopped beating. Suddenly Guillaume was aware of feeling movement in his hand. He snapped his head back to Jo and he watched as her nose twitched and she sighed. " Jo?" he exclaimed, leaning close to her. Squeezing her hand in his. " Jo…it's me Guillaume…" he whispered, brushing the hair from her forehead. Slowly Jo blinked and opened her eyes. She glanced around her before her eyes met Guillaume's and a gently smile crossed her lips.  
  
" I thought I'd lost you again…" she said her voice quiet.  
  
" You can never lose me…" Guillaume said happily, his voice ragged from crying and his eyes rimmed with red. Jo reached up and touched his cheek,  
  
***" Je puis être votre soleil... mais vous êtes mon monde... ma lune... mes étoiles... et ma vie!" Jo smiled.  
  
" You…you could hear me?" Guillaume frowned.  
  
" Of course I could hear you…I heard you in my heart…" Jo's eyes looked deeply into Guillaume's. He lowered his head over hers and kissed her gently. They parted and she looked up into his face. " Now then…where are my friends?" she smiled warmly, reaching out her hand for Guillaume to help her to her feet. " And who's this Lina?" she grinned, one eyebrow raised as they started to walk out of the room. Oblivious to anything but each other. Mithras sighed and sat down where Jo had just been laying, a gentle smile on his lips. He whispered to himself in a stunned voice.  
  
" It's true…the legend is coming true..."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Following a somewhat joyous reunion, Lina and the friends walked through the gardens of the castle, the friends marvelling at the unusual plants and flowers surrounding them. Guillaume keeping a tight hold on Jo's hand, a gentle smile on his lips whenever he felt her hand squeeze his. No one spoke but a question was burning on everyone's lips.  
  
" So Lina…just what exactly is going on here?" Marius asked gently.  
  
" Where on earth are we?" Phillipe gestured around him emphatically.  
  
" What was with the ecstatic reception from the people…?" shrugged Bertrande.  
  
" And why were the King and Queen so happy to see us…?" frowned Martin.  
  
" Oh you and your questions!" groaned Lina, " Can't it wait? Don't you want to relax for a little bit first…?"  
  
" No!" came the unanimous reply. Lina frowned and kicked off the ground, raising lightly up into the air.  
  
" Well if you're going to be like that about it…" she pouted, absent- mindedly picking a pink leaf from the tree she was hovering next to.  
  
" But you promised!" Amos shouted with a tone that reminded the friends of Brat and Poor Baby.  
  
" Lina…please come down! You know that isn't fair…we can't exactly follow you up there now can we?" Jo said firmly as the girl frowned and gently returned to earth. Jo smiled and sighed. " Lina, we just want an explanation. Please…what's going on?" Jo's green eyes looked into the blue ones before her. " Why does every one know who we are…and what exactly is it that everyone expects us to do here?"  
  
" Ok…I'll tell you…but it won't be easy and this is going to take a little time…" Lina sighed sitting down on a low wall next to them. Jo found herself thinking back to the times when they had tried to explain their experiences to their newfound travelling companions and grinned.  
  
" We know what you mean…" she said gently. The friends looked amongst themselves with raised eyebrows and sat down on the grass.  
  
" Now if we're all sitting comfortably…" Lina's eyes sparkled mischievously. " Then I'll begin…"  
  
  
  
(*" I don't know if you can hear me…but….if you can, I want you to know that I love you…you brought the sun back into my life and if you leave me now…my life will always be in shadow…but the sun will shine forever in my heart…Your witchcraft certainly enchanted me!")  
  
(**"…Goodbye my sunshine…I'll see you again in my dreams...")  
  
(***"I may be your sunshine...but you are my world...my moon...my stars...and my life!") 


	4. PART 40

" Lina, we just want an explanation. Please…what's going on?" Jo's green eyes looked into the blue ones before her. " Why does every one know who we are…and what exactly is it that everyone expects us to do here?"  
  
" Ok…I'll tell you…but it won't be easy and this is going to take a little time…" Lina sighed sitting down on a low wall next to them. Jo found herself thinking back to the times when they had tried to explain their experiences to their newfound travelling companions and grinned.  
  
" We know what you mean…" she said gently. The friends looked amongst themselves with raised eyebrows and sat down on the grass.  
  
" Now if we're all sitting comfortably…" Lina's eyes sparkled mischievously. " Then I'll begin…"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Lina took a deep breath before beginning, " Well…the countries of Vaniria and Aesina…"  
  
" Vaniria is a country? I thought that was just this city…castle…place…" Marius frowned.  
  
" Are you going to continue to interrupt me or are you going to let me tell you?" Lina glared at him.  
  
" No…you…you go on…" mumbled Marius, his cheeks flushing pink.  
  
" Thank you…" Lina closed her eyes and started again. " So…the countries of Vaniria and…"  
  
" So Vaniria is a country then…?" Martin asked quietly watching as Lina tutted.  
  
" You are in the city of Vaniria which is in the land of Vaniria!" Lina snapped.  
  
" Oh…" Martin swallowed and averted his gaze so that Lina's blazing blue eyes didn't meet his. Lina sighed frustrated.  
  
" Any more questions…?" She glanced at them all before continuing, " As I was saying…the countries of Vaniria and Aesina had always been happy and wonderful places to live…"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
In the times when the stars were still young, the neighbouring countries of Vaniria in the North and Aesina in the South were peaceful. Aesina was ruled by King Nedraw and Queen Aurora while Vaniria was ruled by Aurora's sister, Queen Eos, and her husband, King Marduk. Vaniria was a land of harvest and nature, while Aesina had learned to use the waterways to trade with distant lands and had grown wealthy.  
  
Not long after Nedraw and Aurora had been blessed with their first child, Princess Aradia, darkness entered the land.  
  
To the east lay the swamplands. A dank and evil place, ruled over by the self proclaimed Lord Incubus. He had long since watched while Aesina grew in prosperity and had grown jealous. His own lands were sparsely populated, as they couldn't support much life. To be honest, they couldn't support any life, all the supplies Incubus attained were through plundering the ships trading with Aesina. Incubus wanted the power and the wealth of Aesina for himself. Control of Aesina would also give him control of the waterways and the ability to covet even more land. Incubus amassed his troops and invaded Aesina.  
  
Having never been under attack before, Aesina was not prepared for such an assault. Their armies had been trained to protect the Royal Family but they were not equipped or trained for battle. As such, Aesina's first attempts at stopping Incubus failed and he marched on towards the castle and the Royal family.  
  
In an attempt to save their lives, those in the castle and its walled city had fled towards the North, looking for sanctuary in Vaniria. However, Incubus' scouts discovered their escape and captured the family and those travelling with them. Seeing no need for excess prisoners, Incubus let the servants go and in doing so he allowed the young Princess to escape with them.  
  
Aurora and Nedraw were taken before Incubus and stripped of their crowns before being killed as an example of Incubus' power. Aradia, in the meantime, was taken to live with her Aunt, Queen Eos, in Vaniria where she was raised in the knowledge that her kingdom had been taken away from her but that one day, she would get it back.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ten years later, having ruled Aesina through terror, Incubus' son, Obsequious, had discovered a problem when he took over his father's throne following his death. Their troops, whilst maintaining 'control', had managed to destroy the crops that were grown on the lands and since his occupation of the throne, other countries had ceased to trade with him. The land could no longer offer food and this was a problem that needed addressing. Obsequious scoured the land for resources and his greedy eyes, so like his father's, turned to Vaniria. He knew that the land was fertile and would provide ample resources for his people and army but something stopped him. A prophecy. A legend. A story that had been told to children for generations prevented his immediate invasion of Vaniria.  
  
Hundreds and hundreds of years before the countries of Vaniria and Aesina had been named, before Incubus' rule over the swamp lands, a group of wise ones had control over all who lived between the mountains to the very North and the Desert to the South. They were a council, selected by each area of the land to protect it. They had in their possession a magical crystal that could harness the powers of the sun, the moon and the very earth itself. The crystal was the goal for many greedy rulers of faraway lands and to prevent it falling into the wrong hands, the crystal was shattered and the pieces divided amongst the council. Over the years, the pieces went missing as the wise ones died or moved around. As time passed, new rulers came to the lands and the countries of Vaniria and Aesina were created.  
  
The crystal was gone but it's power was not forgotten. A myth sprung up among the people, everyone knew that should the crystal ever be reassembled then the magic would be reborn in those who reassembled it. Should it be in the hands of the wrong person or group then evil would stalk the land and goodness would be a thing of the past. But should a righteous person or group reassemble the crystal then evil would be renounced and joy and peace would be everlasting.  
  
As people travelled through the land, they brought with them their own tales and legends and one day an old man from a faraway land that the people had never heard of before told them a story that became legend. He told of a group of strangers, twelve in all, who had the ability to travel through time and space from land to land. They were a group of friends who, amongst them, had the strength and determination to seek and retrieve the missing pieces of the crystal and reassemble it, bringing joy once more to the people. At first people scoffed, such a tale was fantasy. There was no way it could be true. But the old man produced a manuscript, containing the names of the strangers and the places that they had been. The old man was questioned as to the origin of the manuscript but he would not, or could not, say how he came to have it. He said that it had been in his family for generations and claimed that one of his ancestors had actually met the strangers. According to the old man, the strangers had met and befriended a group of friends including someone that the old man claimed to have been his great great great great great great great great great…Grandmother, a woman known as Mary.  
  
The Old Man stayed in the woods bordering Vaniria and Aesina until he died, his last words were for the people to watch for a swirling cloud, which would herald the arrival of the strangers. Many believed the man to have been mad but there were those who thought his story was possible. The manuscript he produced was like nothing they had ever seen before and as such it was taken to the highest and most learned people in the land. The story it contained told of a group of friends, travelling to various strange places through strange swirling clouds, the group growing as they travelled. The story also told that upon arriving in Vaniria, one of the strangers would be injured and would need help. The old man's manuscript was studied and preparations were made should the twelve strangers appear and apothecaries all over the land began work on potions and cures for when the injured stranger needed their help. The manuscript detailed the members of the group, giving their names and descriptions of their appearance and character. The names sounded foreign and unearthly to those that read them but there was an authenticity to the story and an earnestness in the way the man had spoken of it that made people forget their doubts.  
  
However, Obsequious' greed would only be abated by legend for so long and he too sought the crystal in order to make his own power supreme. Rumour had it that he already had one piece of the crystal in his possession. And so people began to hope and believe that one day soon a group would arrive, through a swirling cloud, bringing with them hope for the future and an end to the threat of evil.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Lina's eyes glistened with a combination of hope and sadness as her story ended and the friends sat in stunned silence. The legend and history that they had heard, had hit them all. A feeling was growing deep in all of them. A sense of duty towards the people of Vaniria. No matter how unlikely it might have sounded, no matter how dangerous it might seem, somehow they all knew…that what they had heard…was undeniably true. 


	5. PART 41

The legend and history that they had heard, had hit them all. A feeling was growing deep in all of them. A sense of duty towards the people of Vaniria. No matter how unlikely it might have sounded, no matter how dangerous it might seem, somehow they all knew…that what they had heard…was undeniably true.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
There was a silence in the garden. The friends were sat, thinking about what Lina had just told them.  
  
" So…this legend thing…" Rosie swallowed, " Are you sure it's us that it speaks of…I mean, we can't be the first group of strangers to have entered those woods…"  
  
" No you're not…" Lina stood and thought for a second. " But you are the first group of twelve strangers to appear, with one injured member and whose names fit those written in the manuscript." Lina's voice was almost mocking.  
  
" How do you know our names…we haven't been introduced yet!" Martin folded his arms over his chest.  
  
" You all heard me call Guillaume and Jo by their names didn't you…" Lina raised an eyebrow.  
  
" That could have been a lucky guess…" muttered Phillipe, less than convincingly. "…And you were following us…you could have just heard us say those names…" he finished, his pale eyes piercing her bright ones.  
  
" That's a fair point…" Lina smiled, " But I bet I can name each of you and tell you where you're from…" The friends exchanged intrigued looks before turning back to Lina and grinning.  
  
" Go for it…" Jo smiled. Lina took a deep breath and her eyes fell upon Rosie.  
  
" You," she grinned, " Are Rosie, you came through the red Gyratory with Jo from York." Lina's eyes sparkled as Rosie gasped. " But you two didn't come through alone…Mark, Jenny and Lucy came too!" she indicated to each in turn. " Then when you landed in Paris you met Marius and Phillipe…" Marius' eyebrows shot up high in surprise as she named him correctly. Lina continued, turning to Martin, Bertrande and Guillaume. " Guillaume, you met the friends when they came to Artigat, they also met you two there…Martin and Bertrande!" The friends looked at the winged girl in amazement. " Now then…Amos…you joined the friends when they stayed at Swallow's barn and Simon…you were the last to join the friends when they arrived in Jerusalem…when Jo couldn't remember her name…" Lina's voice trailed off as she noticed the friends were sat open mouthed in awe. " See…" she shrugged, " Told you I could do it!"  
  
" Oh my…" gasped Jo under her breath.  
  
" So now do you believe me…?" Lina almost pleaded as she sat back down on the wall. The friends nodded slowly, hardly believing what had just happened. " And the quest for the crystals…?" Lina raised a hopeful eyebrow.  
  
" Aah," sighed Jo. " That is quite another matter…"  
  
" Well, it sounds like your typical save the world scenario to me…" Lucy grumbled, receiving confused glances from the others. She rolled her eyes and pushed a piece of her dark hair out of her equally dark eyes. " This legend has told us the history, what we have to do, the consequences should we fail and the result should we succeed…but it forgot to mention just how it is to be achieved!" Lucy scoffed. " Just like every other legend or myth ever written!"  
  
" Well…surely all we have to do is find these crystal things…" Marius said quietly, not wanting to point out the obvious.  
  
" This is true…but how do we find out where they are?" Jenny frowned.  
  
" She does have a point…" agreed Mark, " I mean Jo may know the London Underground like the back of her hand but none of us have a clear idea of where the hell we are!" Mark almost yelled, his voice echoing around the small garden. Lina watched as some birds (well they looked like birds but no one was in a mood to ask exactly what they were) were startled and flew off into the sky.  
  
" That's what you've got me and Mithras for!" grinned Lina. " We can tell you all you need to know…"  
  
" This quest thing…" Amos swallowed nervously, " It's going to be dangerous isn't it? I mean whoever heard of a non-lethal quest!"  
  
" There may well be dangers…" Lina admitted, " But no one can say for sure…" Another silence followed as the friends mulled the options over in their heads. " We, Mithras and I, will help you…teach you before you go…so that you know something of our world before you begin. But none of you have to go…it is ultimately your choice…" Lina added sadly.  
  
" I'm going to go…" Jo said quietly, her eyes downcast but she didn't have to look around to know that everyone was staring at her. She raised her green eyes to look at them all. " Don't ask me why but I feel I should…" Guillaume's confused eyes looked into hers.  
  
" But Jo…"  
  
" Well what do you suggest we do?" Jo asked pointedly. " This isn't a musical, we can't just wait for and appropriate point in the story to leave! We don't know what's going to happen! This is real and to be honest I'd rather be trying to do something about it than waiting here for this Obsequious character to appear!" Jo frowned and then smiled, her features softening. " This could be a real adventure…and I'd rather not go it alone…" her eyes shone with excitement. " I mean think about it. Who knows what's out there…" Jo gasped.  
  
" I think you'll find it's that idea that is causing all the hesitancy…" Rosie smiled gently.  
  
" I supposed it'll give us something to do…" Lucy muttered begrudgingly, trying to hide the enthusiasm in her voice.  
  
" So…you'll…you'll do it…?" Lina's eyes grew wider as the friends glanced at each, making silent statements with their eyes. Jo beamed as she turned back to Lina.  
  
" We'll do it!" Jo laughed as Lina's face broke into a broad smile  
  
" Wonderful!" Lina clapped her hands as she leapt joyfully off the wall and into the air. She soared up high into the gradually darkening sky and yelled, her voice carrying on the silent winds. " The strangers have agreed to the quest!" A mighty cheer arose from outside the garden and the friends jumped. It sounded as if the whole of Vaniria had heard Lina's announcement, which to be honest they didn't doubt for a second. The friend's smiled at each other and laughter broke out. The atmosphere in the garden was one of excitement, edged with apprehension. Walking through swirling clouds was one thing. Agreeing to face the unknown in the name of peace was quite another.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Later that evening, as the sun was setting, Lina and Jo were sat up on one of the highest walls of the castle. Jo was busy staring open mouthed at the landscape surrounding them, Lina was busy explaining what it was she was staring at.  
  
" Those are the mountains to the North and over there…" Lina pointed to a darkness to the East of the castle. " …Are the Swamplands…that's where Obsequious is!" Lina spat his name and Jo frowned.  
  
" I thought he ruled over Aesina…?" Jo pointed behind them to the South. Lina smiled gently.  
  
" He does…but he prefers to live in his native swamps…like the toad that he is!"  
  
" Oh I see…" Jo sighed, " There's a lot we have to learn about all this, isn't there?"  
  
" Yes…but that's what Mithras and I are here for…" Lina glanced to the North of the Swamplands, between the mountains and the darkness of Obsequious' homeland. A gentle smile crossed her lips.  
  
" What's over there…?" Jo asked gently.  
  
" That's my homeland…Crystallia…" Lina whispered.  
  
" Do you miss it?" Jo glanced into the distance, following Lina's gaze.  
  
" I do…" Lina sighed. " But this is how it is meant to be. This is what I was meant to do…"  
  
" What do you mean?"  
  
" I was raised as a…well…I suppose you would call me a warrior…" Lina giggled, flicking some of her blonde hair out of her incredibly blue eyes.  
  
" A warrior?!" Jo's green eyes opened wide as she looked at the delicate girl before her. Lina rolled her eyes,  
  
" Well, maybe that is the wrong word but I was raised with the sole purpose of leading the strangers on their quest…" Lina shrugged. " It's like my destiny or something…" Lina glanced at a confused looking Jo. " It's hereditary…my mother was chosen before me and her mother before her…"  
  
" Oh right…" Jo nodded, feeling certain that she would never completely understand anything in this place.  
  
" What about you?" Lina asked softly, " Do you miss your homeland…?" Jo frowned slightly as she thought back to the times before the Gyratory in the woods.  
  
" Yes…" her voice became quiet and her eyes glassy. " Sometimes I do…" Jo's voice trailed off and she closed her eyes, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. She smiled and reopened her eyes. " But then I think I'm having the best adventure a person could ever have and I know that some day I'll go home…"  
  
" I'm sure you will!" Lina grinned, " Actually, shouldn't you be able to do that anytime you like though…you being a witch an everything!" She added thoughtfully.  
  
" What?" Jo raised an eyebrow.  
  
" Well, you are a witch aren't you? I mean the whole thing in Artigat…in the manuscript…it says you are a witch…it was telling the truth…wasn't it?" Lina's voice became panicky, Jo reached out and gently squeezed her arm.  
  
" Yes…I am a witch…" Lina visibly relaxed and Jo rolled her eyes. " But I don't have…magical powers…I can't transport myself back home…if I could, don't you think I would have done that already!" Jo added laughing. Her eyes met Lina's and she stopped.  
  
" But you have done magical things…" Lina said, a knowing smile on her lips. " You summoned up lightning when they captured you in Artigat…"  
  
" That wasn't me…" Jo tried to argue. " It was just coincidence!" Lina shrugged and looked back over the landscape.  
  
" We'll see…" Lina sighed.  
  
Jo was about to argue her point when she felt something brush against her arm, she glanced down and her eyes opened wide. What looked like a ball of blue fluff, with short stumpy arms and legs and two big blue eyes had leapt up onto the wall next to them. It was about the same size as a large cat.  
  
" Lina…wh-what is that…?" Jo gasped, glancing at Lina.  
  
" Lina?!" the small blue creature giggled. " That's not your name!" Lina's face grew hard and Jo couldn't help but notice panic creeping into her eyes.  
  
" Milf…I'm warning you…" Lina's voice was quiet and threatening.  
  
" Well, not your full name anyway!" Milf laughed, scurrying behind Jo as Lina tried to grab him.  
  
" Milf, don't make me hurt you!" Lina stood, trying to reach around Jo to grab the fuzzy animal.  
  
" I'm sure you want to know her real name…don't you Mistress Jo?" Milf's eyes twinkled as he looked up at Jo.  
  
" Well…er…" Jo stammered. " Firstly…it's just Jo…none of that Mistress lark and secondly…Lina's name doesn't matter…"  
  
" Lina is an abbreviation…" Milf continued, " Her full name is…" He glanced at Lina who looked ready to kill. " Thumbelina!" he squeaked as Lina made a grab for him and he leapt off the wall and into a tree, laughing hysterically as he scurried away. Lina's cheeks flushed pink as she sat next to Jo on the wall.  
  
" Well…now you know…" Lina kicked her foot back against the wall in anger.  
  
" Thumbelina?" Jo muttered under her breath.  
  
" Let's just say I had rather…open minded parents!" Lina raised an eyebrow. " Please don't tell the others…I mean, whoever heard of a warrior called Thumbelina!" Lina's blue eyes pleaded with Jo's.  
  
" Well…you're Lina to me and the others…." Jo grinned. " Where on earth did they get that name from…?" smiling as Lina's face softened.  
  
" Oh some stranger came, years ago and told some stories that came from their country…my parents heard the name and liked it. Apparently the stranger's grandfather had told the tales to them or something…" Lina stood up once more and they started to slowly walk back down the steps into the castle. " Anderson I think his name was…"  
  
" Hans Christian Anderson?!" Jo grabbed Lina's arm, her eyes wide with excitement.  
  
" No…that wasn't it…" frowning as Jo's face fell.  
  
" Oh…" they continued down the steps.  
  
" That wasn't the strangers name…I think it was his grandfather's though!" Lina beamed before going through the door at the foot of the stairs. Jo was about to follow her, a million questions burning on her lips when something stopped her. Jo frowned as she walked back up the stairs and looked out once more over the landscape. As her eyes looked over the swamplands in the far East she shivered, a cold wind suddenly whipped around her. She shuddered and frowned, walking back down the stairs and into the castle.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
A cold wind whistled along the long dark corridor, candles flickering as it passed like a messenger through the maze of hallways. In the darkness a park of similarly dark eyes flicked open as the wind passed over them, sighing as its message was conveyed. A twisted smile crossed their lips and a whispered voice spoke,  
  
" So…" it smiled, " The strangers are here…" The dark eyes glanced at a candle nearby. " Well, it seems sunlight has returned to Vaniria…we shall have to deal with that…" the voice hissed as Obsequious reached out a hand and snuffed out the candle. He cackled quietly to himself. " I believe this is my cue…" He rose to his feet and the wicked smile grew, " Ready the men!" he ordered as a guard in the corner of the black room jumped and scurried off to do as he was bid. " It seems it's time for my quest to begin…" 


	6. PART 42

" The strangers are here…" The dark eyes glanced at a candle nearby. " Well, it seems sunlight has returned to Vaniria…we shall have to deal with that…" the voice hissed as Obsequious reached out a hand and snuffed out the candle. He cackled quietly to himself. " I believe this is my cue…" He rose to his feet and the wicked smile grew, " Ready the men!" he ordered as a guard in the corner of the black room jumped and scurried off to do as he was bid. " It seems it's time for my quest to begin…"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
It would be fair to say that so far, it had been an eventful day. The friends had apparently left behind the world of musicals, a world they were only just starting to understand, and had entered the world of legends and myths. A world where their very existence was a legend. They had met a girl who had wings, Jo had been healed and they had been briefly introduced to the King and Queen of this mysterious realm. All in all, an eventful day. The friends sat in one of the many gardens within the castle's high walls thinking. Not only had they found out that they were known to the people of Vaniria but that the people were relying on them to fulfil an ancient prophecy. A quest that they had accepted.  
  
" So…" started Amos. " Who reckons we're insane to have accepted this quest then?"  
  
" Me!" came the almost unanimous response. Simon picked at the grass and frowned.  
  
" Well how dangerous can it be?" his eyes sparkled. " I mean, there can't be anything too bad out there, nothing I can't handle anyway!" Simon grinned, tapping the gun on his thigh.  
  
" To be honest Simon…" Jo glanced over into the piercing blue eyes of the former disciple. " I think there's a lot of dangerous stuff out there. Lina has been raised as a warrior to lead us on this quest. Raised. That means her whole life has been devoted to preparing for this little adventure. And not just her, many before her spent their lives preparing for our arrival." Jo raised an eyebrow. " So to be perfectly honest, I think dangerous doesn't even come close to what this quest could be!"  
  
" Thanks for reminding us!" Guillaume nudged her gently in the ribs before shooting a viscous look over at Simon. " And Fuzzy…keep your smart comments to yourself for now!"  
  
" Fuzzy!" Simon's temper began to rise, colour filling his cheeks and his eyes shimmering in rage. " Why you…"  
  
" Boys!" snapped Jo. " No fighting…please…" She reached out and touched Simon's shoulder gently, her green eyes looking deeply into his. " Please…we need to stick together on this..."  
  
" Alright…" Simon muttered, glancing briefly at Guillaume who was grinning from ear to ear.  
  
" And you…" Jo frowned, looking at Guillaume. " Just because you and Martin have worked out your differences doesn't mean you can annoy Simon instead!" She smiled to herself, " No matter how much you resemble Judas…" she muttered under her breath.  
  
" Getting back to this quest thing…" Rosie's large brown eyes were filled with concern. " What sort of dangers do you think are out there…?" She reached across for Marius' hand. Jo shrugged,  
  
" Search me! But I'm sure Mithras and Lina will be more than happy to inform us!" She winked and smiled as she looked at the worried faces around her. " Come on, cheer up you lot! We're in a castle, in a mythical land! We're famous…" Grins broke out over the faces of the friends.  
  
" No more sleeping in barns or gardens!" beamed Lucy.  
  
" Proper food!" Mark's eyes shone with pure joy. A sense of happiness filled the air as the friends relaxed for the first time since arriving in Vaniria. Marius squeezed Rosie's hand as they looked into each other's dark eyes, smiles covering their faces. Guillaume sat with a protective arm around Jo, she leant back against him and sighed gently. Lucy and Martin sat next each other, their fingers entwined. Jenny and Amos were glancing around the garden, smiling gently every time their eyes met. Bertrande took Mark's hand in hers as they grinned and looked up at the sky above them. Phillipe was too busy looking around at the battlements surrounding them, wondering how such a thing was created, while Simon was fiddling with his hair, trying desperately to get it back into the spikes it had once been in.  
  
" I hope I'm not interrupting…" a voice from above called down.  
  
" Of course not, " smiled Jo as they watched Lina gently descend from above. " To what do we owe the pleasure…?" she grinned.  
  
" The King and Queen would like to meet you…" Lina's blue eyes looked around at them all, " If that is agreeable to you?" Nervous smiles crossed the faces before her. Their previous introduction to the monarchs had been fleeting and less than happy.  
  
" Er…" started Phillipe.  
  
" Of course…" Jo smiled warmly, aware of the wide-eyed looks from the others. " I for one haven't met them properly yet and I want to thank them for their hospitality."  
  
" Very well!" beamed Lina, " If you would just follow me…" she started, flapping her wings and starting to head up into the air.  
  
" Er Lina…" Jo raised an eyebrow, " I think you've forgotten something…" Lina rolled her eyes and returned to the ground, an embarrassed smile on her face.  
  
" Sorry…" Lina apologised as she waited for them to stand and started to lead, " I forget sometimes…" she grinned as they crossed the garden and entered the castle.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
" I don't want to do this…" muttered Rosie as they waited outside the Great Hall. Lina had already entered to announce them.  
  
" You've already done this once…" Jo whispered, her cheeks suddenly pale.  
  
" What if we insult them and they cut off our heads or something!" Mark swallowed nervously.  
  
" Well Guillaume interrupting the King earlier didn't seem to make much difference so I think we'll be alright!" Simon giggled as Jo's eyes opened wide.  
  
" You did what?!" she gasped, Guillaume frowned and glared at Simon.  
  
" Well I had to! You were dying and they wanted to do the whole 'nice to meet you' bit!" Guillaume tried to excuse his behaviour and before Jo could answer the doors before them started to open.  
  
" Well, here goes nothing!" Lucy smiled weakly as the friends walked through the doorway and into the Great Hall.  
  
Even though this was their second entrance into the hall, the friends still found them selves walking open mouthed as they looked around them.  
  
" It's beautiful…" gasped Jo as she looked up at the vaulted ceiling above them. As they approached the far end of the room, they could see the King and Queen were stood before them. Upon reaching the raised platform where the monarchs stood the friends froze, glancing nervously at each other, trying to figure out what they were supposed to do. Jo swallowed and slowly made a curtsy, the others followed suit with bows and curtsies from all. Lina had been standing next to the King and she moved down to stand with the friends.  
  
" Your majesties…" Lina bowed gracefully, " May I present…"  
  
" I think we all know who our guests are…" The King interrupted Lina, who simply bowed once more. " Welcome to Vaniria my friends," He continued. " I see that Mithras has worked his magic once again!" he smiled broadly, his brilliantly blue eyes dancing as he did so.  
  
" We are glad to see you are felling better now Jo…" the Queen added. Jo's face flushed in amazement.  
  
" Th-th..er…thank you, your majesty," Jo bowed her head.  
  
" Lina informs us that you have agreed to search for the crystals…" King Marduk's voice held a hopeful tone.  
  
" Yes your majesty," Jo bowed her head once more as an audible sigh of relief ran around the hall.  
  
" Aren't you going to introduce us…?" a clear voice called out from behind the group of friends.  
  
" Of course…" Marduk's face broke into a wide smile, " May I present our niece, the Princess Aradia…" The friends turned to see a young woman stood before them. Pale eyes looked out from the flawless face, surrounded by auburn hair. Eyes that seemed blue but on closer inspection were the palest lilac in colour. The friends bowed and she smiled gently.  
  
" I am very happy to meet you all…" she spoke gently and her eyes looked at each of them in turn. " As is everyone here in Vaniria…"  
  
" Our guests have consented to seek the crystals…" beamed Eos.  
  
" I overheard Aunt and…I've decided…" Aradia's voice suddenly became more determined. " I'm going with them," Aradia stood defiantly before her Aunt and Uncle, every so often stealing a glance at the strangers.  
  
" We've been over this…" groaned Marduk, " It's too dangerous for you to go…"  
  
" But Aesina is my responsibility!" Aradia snapped, folding her arms in front of her chest. " I know you're only worried about me…but Aesina was…is my home and I cannot sit by and let this quest happen without me!"  
  
" Darling please…" Eos started,  
  
" Nothing you can say will change my mind…" Aradia's voice echoed in the hall and the friends waited with baited breath to see what would follow.  
  
" You all must be very tired…" Queen Eos smiled gently at the friends, her emerald eyes sparkling at the friends as she tried to gloss over the family dispute that they had just witnessed. She motioned to Lina, " Please, would you show them to their rooms and inform Mithras that their tutoring will start tomorrow…"  
  
" Yes your majesty…" Lina bowed and stood patiently by the friends, who bowed before following Lina out of the hall.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
" Tutoring?" frowned Amos as they followed Lina along a corridor.  
  
" Well you didn't think we were going to let you loose in this world of ours without giving you some information first did you?" Lina laughed gently.  
  
" Well no but…tutoring?" Martin's brow furrowed along with the brows of the other friends as images of grey haired men with glasses popped into their heads.  
  
" It won't be anything scary, I'll be taking you for defence…well lessons, you'll also have some stuff on the land and on the history. And Jo gets to have her lessons with Mithras!" grinned Lina.  
  
" Why me?" Jo frowned.  
  
" Yeah…why does Jo have to go to him…?" Guillaume's eyes flashed briefly.  
  
" Well, who else is going to help her practice her magic…certainly not me!" Lina shook her head as they continued down the corridor.  
  
" Plus it sounds like we have yet another travelling companion!" Rosie smiled,  
  
" Yeah that Aradia certainly sounds like she's made up her mind!" Mark added.  
  
" Here you go…" Lina opened a set of double doors with opened into a large room, decorated in reds and golds. From this large room went many other doors. " Here are your rooms…should you need anything just pull this cord…" Lina indicated to a golden cord by the door, " And someone will attend you…"  
  
" You mean…all these rooms…they're…they're for us…?" Jenny stood open- mouthed looking around at their ornate surroundings.  
  
" Of course…" Lina smiled, you'll find your rooms have been set out for you individually…now, get some rest and I'll see you in the morning!" she beamed at them one last time before leaving. The friends glanced at each other with excited eyes as they began to explore their new home. Each of the bedrooms was exquisitely decorated and each door had a small gold plate on which was engraved one of their names.  
  
" This…this can't be real…" Muttered Lucy, sitting down on one of the chairs in the main room.  
  
" Well if this is a dream…" beamed Mark, " Don't anybody wake me up!" 


	7. PART 43

The friends glanced at each other with excited eyes as they began to explore their new home. Each of the bedrooms was exquisitely decorated and each door had a small gold plate on which was engraved one of their names.  
  
" This…this can't be real…" Muttered Lucy, sitting down on one of the chairs in the main room.  
  
" Well if this is a dream…" beamed Mark, " Don't anybody wake me up!"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Jo wandered over to the door bearing her name. She traced a finger over the engraved metal and smiled gently. She walked through the open door way and her mouth dropped open as she looked around her. The room was decorated in a similar way the main room but with touches here and there that reminded her of the life she had once led. To one side of the room was a large oaken desk, on which lay some parchment and what looked like a quill. She smiled as she remembered the stories she used to write back home. Above the desk was a bookshelf, lined with books. She reached out and removed a particularly thick, leather-bound volume from the shelf. Reading the title on the spine her smile grew wider, the book was entitled 'Sabbats and Rites'. She put the book back carefully, scanning the titles. The books covered candle magick, chants, meditation, tarot and whole range of topics she had never heard of. She closed her eyes and could remember her own books that she had at home, she felt a pang when she thought of her own Tarot cards and Book of Shadows. A knock on the door snapped her out of her reminiscing and she turned to see Guillaume in the doorway.  
  
" What's your room like…? She smiled, walking away from the desk.  
  
" Well it's very nice…" he grinned wandering in to the room, glancing around as he did so. His eyes fell on the books Jo had been looking at only moments earlier and he frowned. " …I see they've been reading up on you too!"  
  
" Why? What do you mean?" Jo sat on the edge of her bed and watched as Guillaume absent-mindedly picked up one of the books and began to flick through the pages.  
  
" It's just that Marius' room is full of music and Phillipe's has a lot of books on law and order and yours is full of…" Guillaume's jaw dropped open as his dark eyes were sent flying to her face, " Dragon's blood?!"  
  
" What?" Jo frowned, going over and glancing down at the book. She smiled and laughed gently. " It's kind of incense…and no…" She slid the book back onto the shelf, " …it doesn't come from dragons." Her green eyes sparkled as she grinned at him. " Well not back home it doesn't! Here though…who knows!"  
  
" So all this witchcraft stuff…" Guillaume's dark brow knitted together. " It's real…is it?" Jo sat back down on the end of the bed.  
  
" Well everyone here in Vaniria seems to think so…" she sighed as he sat next to her.  
  
" But don't you…?" he frowned, gently taking her hand in his. Jo shrugged,  
  
" To be honest I'm not sure about anything any more!" she squeezed his hand.  
  
" Well don't worry about it…" Guillaume raised her palm to his lips and kissed it softly. " Please…" His brown eyes looked deep into hers and they sat in silence for a few moments. Their fingers entwined and their gaze never leaving each others face.  
  
" Don't worry…I won't…" Jo winked as she leant her head towards him.  
  
" Good…you know how much I worry…" he smirked, doing the same. Their lips were barely touching when there was a smart knocking on the door.  
  
" And what's going on in here then?" Guillaume and Jo turned their heads to see Rosie stood in the doorway, one hand on her hip and a cheeky grin on her face.  
  
" Oh Rosie…" Jo gasped, leaning away from Guillaume. " In here? Er…nothing…why…?"  
  
" Don't panic!" Rosie grinned coming in and leaning on the desk. " I just wanted to see what your room was like…everyone else has gone to bed already. They did shout out Goodnight but I don't think you heard them…" she raised an eyebrow as she glanced around the room. " It's all a bit overwhelming really isn't it…" she sighed.  
  
" I don't think overwhelming covers it!" Jo laughed, joining her friend next to the desk.  
  
" Well, I just wanted to see your room and say Goodnight…" Rosie beamed as she headed for the door. " You coming Guillaume?" Rosie glanced back, the cheeky expression on her face growing with each second.  
  
" Of course…I just wanted to…I mean…I only came in to say Goodnight myself…" Guillaume stood up and opened his dark eyes wide.  
  
" Yeah…of course you did! " Rosie winked before turning and heading through the doorway. " But we all have our own rooms remember! Not even Marius and I share a room and we're engaged!" she called back with a giggle. Jo watched as Guillaume flushed bright red and averted his gaze from Jo. She rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek gently.  
  
" I know…" she smiled as his eyes spoke to her heart. " But…let's not start any rumours eh?!" she winked. " Now go on! Off to bed with you! We've got an early start tomorrow – our tutoring commences after breakfast!" Guillaume smiled back, dimples forming at the corners of his mouth as his mischievous expression met hers.  
  
" Goodnight Jo," he kissed her cheek softly.  
  
" Goodnight Guillaume," she took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently. Guillaume leant his head towards hers once more.  
  
" Goodnight John Boy!" Rosie's voice rang through the suite of rooms followed by hysterical laughter and a groan from Jo's room.  
  
" Goodnight Rosie!" came the terse response from Jo and Guillaume before they kissed each other goodnight and he crept quietly into his own room across the hallway.  
  
Jo sighed as she climbed into the bed, resting her head on the pillows she could see the night sky through the window. A blanket of midnight blue had been stretched across the sky and it was covered with millions of sparkling diamonds. A small smile covered her lips as she closed her eyes,  
  
" Stars…Silent and sure…keeping watch in the night…keeping watch in the night…" she murmured as she drifted into a deep sleep. 


	8. PART 44

" Stars…silent and sure…keeping watch in the night…keeping watch in the night…" she murmured as she drifted into a deep sleep.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
She could hear someone calling her name. In the darkness a voice was echoing around her. The voice was barely audible above the cold wind, which blew around her, but she could hear it nonetheless. She could sense someone was near her, almost feeling his or her breath on the back of her back. Getting closer, the voice echoing in her ear…  
  
Jo sat bolt upright in bed. Her breath coming in gasps and her skin covered in goose bumps. Glancing around the strange and ornate room she remembered her arrival in Vaniria with her friends. Jo sighed with relief as she noticed that the cold wind and sinister voice were no longer there. It had been a dream.  
  
" God Jo…get a grip!" she tutted as she pulled back the covers and slid out of bed. Jo wandered over to the window, yawning widely. The sky was still dark but the stars were fading. Dawn was on its way, it's arrival heralded by a thin grey line on the horizon. Jo stretched and suddenly froze as a sharp pain throbbed in the centre of her forehead. Groaning she sat back down on the bed. "Oh…head rush…!" she muttered.  
  
" You must have got up too quickly…" a voice came from the other side of the room. Jo snapped her head up and looked across towards the door.  
  
" Who…who's there?"  
  
" You should be more careful…" Two grey eyes appeared next to her. " You're still recovering from a major head injury…"  
  
" Mithras!" Jo glared at the young man by her side. " What are you doing in here?!"  
  
" Well I've come to get you up…" Mithras stood and a small frown appeared on his face. " …Your tutoring starts this morning!" He smiled as excitement crept back onto his face.  
  
" Morning?!" Jo exclaimed. " It's not even dawn yet!!"  
  
" Well we do have rather a lot to get through…" Mithras' voice grew serious. Jo shrugged as she realised a lie in was going to be out of the question.  
  
" Fine…but is the pleasure all mine or do the others get to share this joy?" An eyebrow raised, Jo glanced at Mithras as she stood up once more. Although much slower this time.  
  
" Oh no…I mean yes…I mean…" Mithras rolled his sparkling eyes. " Lina's waking them up now!"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
" Think yourself lucky…" grumbled Simon as they sat down to breakfast together. Although Simon's was not the only face bearing a frown.  
  
" Lucky?!" Jo snatched as a piece of bread. " Which part of being woken before dawn do you consider lucky?!"  
  
" At least you got a gentle wake up call from Mithras!" Retorted Simon, his dazzlingly blue eyes glowering at Lina who groaned and rolled her own unbelievably bright eyes.  
  
" Well you weren't getting up…" Lina pouted.  
  
" There was no need to dive bomb the bed though!" Simon's eyebrows drew down over his eyes. Lina sighed and carried on with her breakfast.  
  
" Mithras?" Guillaume frowned as he played with a butter knife. " Mithras woke you up?" His brown eyes glanced at Jo, whose face broke into a smile upon seeing a familiar flash in the dark eyes before her.  
  
" I was already awake but yes…he did come to call me,"  
  
" Oh I see…" Guillaume jabbed the knife into the butter and winced as the plate beneath it cracked. Jo stifled a giggle, squeezed his arm and whispered in his ear,  
  
" I would much rather it to have been you though…" Jo's smile grew as she watched the anger fade from Guillaume's face.  
  
" Anyone know why we have to be up quite so early?" Rosie yawned.  
  
" Yeah…what's wrong with waiting until day break at least?" groaned Mark.  
  
" We have to teach you a lot of things…" Mithras smiled apologetically, "…we thought it would be best to get an early start,"  
  
" Early start…" Marius and Martin grumbled simultaneously.  
  
" Just what exactly are you going to be teaching us…?" Phillipe's voice boomed across the table.  
  
" Well…" Mithras swallowed, " One of Vaniria's best historians, Puw, will be taking you for history and mythology…"  
  
" I'd have thought they were the same thing…" Lucy muttered under her breath.  
  
" …Lamim will be teaching you about the lands you will be travelling through…you know customs, terrain that kind of thing…" Mithras continued.  
  
" I'll be taking you for defence lessons…" Lina grinned, twirling her small dagger effortlessly in her fingers.  
  
" And Jo will be having Magic lessons with me…" Mithras added quietly, trying to avoid Guillaume's gaze.  
  
" What about the rest of us…don't we get magic lessons too?" Jenny asked bluntly.  
  
" Well…er…no…" Mithras replied in a similar tone. A silence followed during which little was done other than eating, stretching, yawning or, in Guillaume's case, glaring at Mithras.  
  
" Shouldn't we get a move on…" Lina suddenly asked, standing up and brushing crumbs off her tunic. Winking at the friends as they did the same. " After all, we didn't wake you all up for nothing!" Groans followed as Lina marched quickly to the door and led the way out.  
  
" Don't worry…" Jo grinned, taking Guillaume's hand as they followed Lina. Guillaume grumbled his reply.  
  
" Who's worrying…" his frown deepened as his eyes met those of Mithras.  
  
" Well put it this way…" Jo grinned wider, " If he tries anything…I'll turn him into a frog or something…" She laughed in relief as a small smile crept onto Guillaume's face.  
  
" That Guillaume…" Mithras whispered to Amos and Jenny as they left the room, " Is he always that…er…"  
  
" Angry?" Amos grinned.  
  
" Well…yes…" Mithras looked stunned.  
  
" No…he's a good guy…" Jenny chuckled, " Just as long as Jo's ok that is…"  
  
" He's a 'little' protective…" Amos' smile grew as he remembered the fight he had witnessed between Judas and Guillaume in the garden of the disciples.  
  
" I see…" Mithras frowned, making a mental note to steer clear of Guillaume if he had that frown on his face.  
  
" And can I just ask you something…" Mithras glanced at Simon as they all trooped along. " Is your hair supposed to be like that?" 


	9. PART 45

" That Guillaume…" Mithras whispered to Amos and Jenny as they left the room, " Is he always that…er…"  
  
" Angry?" Amos grinned.  
  
" Well…yes…" Mithras looked stunned.  
  
" No…he's a good guy…" Jenny chuckled, " Just as long as Jo's ok that is…"  
  
" He's a 'little' protective…" Amos' smile grew as he remembered the fight he had witnessed between Judas and Guillaume in the garden of the disciples.  
  
" I see…" Mithras frowned, making a mental note to steer clear of Guillaume.  
  
" And can I just ask you something…" Mithras glanced at Simon as they all trooped along. " Is your hair supposed to be like that?"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Outside the city walls the sky was gradually becoming lighter and the sun had risen slightly above the distant horizon. Lina led the group of tired and less than happy looking friends along the wall to where two women were waiting for them. One was short and round, long mousey brown hair hung down her back; the other was taller and slimmer with a harsh face and piercing grey eyes.  
  
" Er who…?" Marius yawned as they approached them.  
  
" These are your tutors…Madam Puw…" Lina gestured to the shorter woman, " And…Madam Lamim…" Each woman bowed her head at the friends who responded with attempted smiles.  
  
" Now then…" Lina continued, " Who is it that you want Madam Puw…?"  
  
" I will be tutoring…" Madam Puw pulled out a scrap of parchment from her pocket and squinted at what was written on it. " Lucy…Jenny…Bertrande…and…" Madam Puw's eyes glanced at the group before her. " …Simon…"  
  
" And I will require…" Lamim started before anyone could ask any questions. " Guillaume, Marius and Phillipe for tutoring."  
  
" And everyone else is with me for defence…" Lina grinned. " Well…everyone except Jo…Mithras will be along shortly to take your for your first magic lesson…"  
  
" How come I don't get to learn about myths or the land or defence…" Jo pouted.  
  
" Yeah…why not…" added Guillaume, suddenly realising that he wouldn't be able to keep an eye on things.  
  
" Jo…come here and have a go with this…" Lina held out her hands and offered Jo a longbow and arrow.  
  
" You what…?" Jo's green eyes gazed at the weapon in Lina's hands.  
  
" Just have a go…" Lina urged as Jo gingerly took the bow from her.  
  
" What's going on?" Rosie frowned.  
  
" And just where do you want me to aim this thing?" Jo raised a suspicious eyebrow.  
  
" Erm…" Lina glanced around for a suitable target "...How about…that bucket on the wall over there…" Jo shrugged and turned to face the low stone wall and the wooden bucket on the top of it.  
  
" Just what is going on…? Guillaume repeated suspiciously.  
  
" Just proving a point…" Lina smiled knowingly, watching as Jo pulled back on the bow.  
  
" I don't know what you hope to prove…" Jo sighed as she focused her gaze on the target and released the arrow. A gasp rose from the friends as they saw it land smack in the middle of the bucket's side. Jo stood open mouthed, as stunned as everyone else was. Lina gently removed the bow from Jo's grip.  
  
" That is why you don't need defence lessons…" Lina smiled.  
  
" But how…I mean…I've never…" Jo babbled, pointing at the arrow sticking out of the bucket. Lina winked at Jo and her smile grew broader.  
  
" Just a hunch…" Lina turned back to the others, " Now everyone who's with me…this way if you please…" Lina marched off around the wall and was followed by a stunned looking Rosie, Martin, Amos and Mark.  
  
" If those who are with me…would like to follow me…" Madam Puw smiled warmly as she headed back around the walls towards the entrance. Lucy, Jenny and Bertrande followed her happily. Simon tagged along behind them looking decidedly unimpressed that he wasn't allowed to go and learn how to use a bow and arrow.  
  
" This way…" Madam Lamim barked at the remaining friends, who followed her quickly. Marius and Phillipe walked behind her exchanging worried glances and Guillaume followed them, glancing over his shoulder at Jo as they went back through the gates of the city. Jo's eyes met his and she gave him a reassuring smile as he vanished from her sight. Jo glanced about and sighed. No sign of Mithras yet. She wandered over to the wall and sat down next to the bucket. Shaking her head in wonder she glanced down at the arrow she had fired only a few moments before.  
  
"Very impressive…" a voice came over her shoulder. Jo shrieked and leapt off the wall. Turning around, fists clenched, ready to fight, she groaned as she saw it was Mithras. His grey eyes sparkling more than ever as he tried not to laugh.  
  
" Hope I didn't scare you…" Mithras grinned as Jo walked back to the wall.  
  
" No…" Jo frowned, " You just made me jump…" As his grey eyes shone at her, Jo couldn't help but smile back. " How did you manage to creep up on me like that anyway…?"  
  
" Aaah…you will find out soon enough…" Mithras' voice held a mysterious quality that made Jo's frown return for a second.  
  
" So what exactly am I going to learn…?" Jo sat back down on the wall,  
  
" Well I don't think I need to teach you anything about archery!" Mithras grinned picking up the bucket and eyeing her handiwork. Jo brushed her nails against her top and winked.  
  
" Nope! I must be a natural!" Jo grinned and laughed.  
  
" Well we'll see about that…" Mithras climbed over the wall and sat next to her.  
  
" So what am I going to learn…?" Jo asked, letting her gaze wander to the sunrise.  
  
" Oh all sorts of things…" beamed Mithras.  
  
" Thanks for that specific answer…now I know exactly what's going on!" Jo scoffed, nudging Mithras in the ribs.  
  
" Sorry…" Mithras sighed, " We're going to look at a lot of things…how much of it you can do without my help is anyone's guess…the rest, I'll try to teach you…"  
  
" I can tell you now…nothing!" Jo grinned. " I won't be able to do any of it without specific instructions first!" Mithras grinned back and climbed off the wall.  
  
" We'll see…" he started to head towards the city gates, Jo frowned, jumped off the wall and jogged after him.  
  
" No I mean it…I am a witch but…but that's not what it's about…I won't be able to do 'magic'…not the kind you're thinking of...Honest!" Jo continued.  
  
" We'll see…" Mithras repeated as they wandered through the gates.  
  
" Stop saying that…" Jo's frown deepened for a second as Mithras stopped walking and turned to look at her.  
  
" Well let me put it this way…you didn't think you could fire the bow and arrow did you? But you did…you hit the target…and you didn't even need to be told a thing…" Mithras winked before starting to walk once more.  
  
" But that was fluke…" Jo argued as she followed him. " Just chance…I guess I've watched too many Errol Flynn films or something!" Mithras frowned as he glanced back at her,  
  
" Errol Flynn?" He mumbled to himself before deciding against asking for an explanation. " We'll see…"  
  
" But Mithras…" Jo started as they headed into the castle.  
  
" But nothing…wait until you've had go and then you can argue your point!" Mithras said firmly as he led her up a staircase. Jo rolled her eyes and stayed quiet. " And anyway…" Mithras continued, " We'll have you levitating, apparating and all manner of spells before the day is out!" Jo stopped dead in her tracks as Mithras carried on up the stairs.  
  
" Levitating?" Jo was gob smacked. " Apparating?! Hey Mithras wait…" Jo ran after him as the staircase led them upwards. " Did you say apparating?!"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
" So…take the staff in your left hand…and prepare to disarm your opponent…" Lina's voice carried as the friends faced each other nervously. Martin stood opposite Amos and Mark stood before Rosie, all of them looking more than concerned.  
  
" Lina…are you sure this is the only way we can learn this…?" groaned Amos, a small bruise developing on his forehead from an earlier misjudged blow of his own. He had missed Martin but had managed to hit himself around the head rather effectively.  
  
" Can't we practice on dummies or something…?" Mark glanced at Rosie who was so far unscathed as she had managed to be below most of Mark's swings.  
  
" No! Now concentrate…" Lina continued, rolling her blue eyes and sighing.  
  
" I don't think I'm cut out for this…" Rosie gasped, struggling to hold the heavy staff above the ground.  
  
" Ready…" Lina carried on, oblivious to the complaints. " Now…disarm!" Amos struck out with his staff, Martin managed to block his blow but his own staff rebounded and smacked him between the eyes. He fell back onto the floor with a groan. Mark swung out at Rosie who ducked and nearly lost her balance as her grip slipped on the staff and at landed on Mark's foot. He yelled in pain and dropped his staff onto his other foot. Collapsing back onto the ground in agony Mark glared at Lina who seemed to be in the throws of a laughing fit.  
  
" This isn't funny Lina…!" Martin frowned as he stood up and swayed as his vision blurred for a second.  
  
"You're quite right…" Lina giggled, " It's hilarious!" she shrieked with laughter. The friends exchanged frustrated glances as they readied themselves to try again. This time Martin succeeded in getting past Amos' staff only to trip over his own foot and knock the both of them to the floor. Mark swung at Rosie who this time tried to retaliate and managed to take his legs out from under him. Mark landed with a thump on the grass. Winded, he glanced up at Rosie open mouthed.  
  
" What the…?" he started.  
  
" Well done that girl!" cheered Lina, marching over to them and helping Mark to his feet. " I think you're starting to get the hang of this now!"  
  
" Are you alright?" Rosie's eyes were wide in concern as Mark rubbed his smarting rear.  
  
" Yeah, my…" Mark thought for a moment, "…pride, is a little bruised that's all!" He glared at Lina before taking up his staff once more.  
  
" Alright, everyone, ready…" Lina instructed. " If everyone can do what Rosie did…then we can get onto the fun stuff like swords…" Her eyes sparkled. " Now…disarm!" This time Amos and Martin managed to hit each other but in the process also trapped their hands between their staffs, which they dropped quickly to the floor and shoved their stinging hands under their arms. Rosie tried to repeat her previous disarming of Mark but he was a step ahead of her and jumped over her swing, however the weight of the staff and the momentum of her swing carried Rosie around for a second blow causing her to fall over and Mark to receive a second hit to his rear. Lina groaned as she looked at the friends in pain around her. " I think…Maybe we should leave the swords for a little while!"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
" …And so Incubus' troops marched into Aesina…" Madam Puw's voice was highly exaggerated as she tried to bring the historical event to life for them. Lucy, Jenny and Bertrande all looked enraptured, Simon was fiddling with his hair again looking bored to tears. " …and conquered the land…" Puw continued.  
  
" What about the battles…?" Simon suddenly asked.  
  
" I beg your pardon…?" Puw frowned.  
  
" The battles…between Incubus' troops and Aesina's…" An interested twinkle appeared in Simon's eyes.  
  
" Well there were none…" Puw said matter of factly.  
  
" But I thought you said Aesina was invaded…" Simon frowned.  
  
" Aaah so you were listening!" grinned Jenny.  
  
" Of course I was listening…" Simon scoffed.  
  
" Well then you should know that Aesina had no formal troops as such…" Bertrande turned to him and smiled.  
  
" And that there were no battles becasue King Nedraw didn't think his troops should waste their lives for him…" Lucy added.  
  
" Well done girls!" Madam Puw clapped enthusiastically. " Simon maybe you should take a leaf out of your friends books and listen to me as opposed to fiddling with your hair!" Simon blushed bright red and tried to look as if he had idea what she meant. " Although I must ask…" Puw continued, " Is it supposed to look like that?"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
" Guillaume if you could manage to keep your attention focused on the map of Aesina I would greatly appreciate it!" Madam Lamim snapped as Guillaume jolted back to where he was. He had been staring out of the window at Mithras' tower for the past hour. Marius and Phillipe were sat like well behaved children, fighting the urge to turn around and grin at their friend who had been caught.  
  
" Sorry Madam Lamim…" Guillaume mumbled as she went back to discussing the map before them. They had spent the day poring over maps of Vaniria and the surrounding lands, learning about the terrains they would encounter and the supposed locations of some of the crystals. Guillaume's attention was, however, elsewhere and it was only a matter of moments after Lamim's most recent scolding that his dark eyes were once more fixed not on the map of Aesina but on the tower outside the window. The dark windows of the tower would light up every so often and Guillaume couldn't help but wonder what it was he was witnessing.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
" I can't do it!"  
  
" Just concentrate…"  
  
" I can't do it…concentrating will only lead to a headache for me and no flames for you!" Jo sat on a table, her arms folded obstinately across her chest.  
  
" Just try once more…" Mithras urged glancing down at the thick book in his hands, " According to this book, you should be able to light candle without contact…"  
  
" Yeah and according to that other book you made me read I should be able to move objects just by looking at them and that one didn't exactly happen did it!" Jo pointed emphatically at the floor which was littered with broken glass, books and other objects that hadn't quite gone where she had wanted them to.  
  
" But Jo the point is you did move them…" Mithras tried to sound positive, " It's all to do with concentration…you lost your focus when you realised you were moving things…that's why they fell…" Mithras spoke gently, optimism ringing in his voice.  
  
" Mithras…I can't do it…" Jo's eyes looked into his with absolute certainty in them.  
  
" But the books, all of them, they all speak of the ability to conjure up flames when required…" Mithras picked up another huge leather bound book and started to thumb through the pages. Frustration was starting to build inside Jo. Not only was not getting anywhere fast but it was true, she was getting a headache. She longed to be outside with the others in the fresh air and not in some musty room trying to set fire to things with her mind. Mithras continued to flick through the pages, mumbling about a certain chant every so often.  
  
" Mithras listen to me…" Jo started.  
  
" It's in here…I'm sure it is…there's a chant that might help you…or is it in another book…?"  
  
" Mithras…if I have to hear about one more book I swear I'll…!!" Jo yelled, pointing at the book in his hands, anger glowing in her eyes. Suddenly Mithras yelped and the book was flung on the floor. The volume was laying on the floor in flames. Mithras looked open mouthed from the book to Jo and then back to the burning book once more. Jo's eyes twinkled and a smile spread across her lips. As the flames died down, Mithras raised his grey eyes to meet Jo's and he smiled.  
  
" Well…it wasn't a candle…!" 


	10. PART 46

" Mithras…if I have to hear about one more book I swear I'll…!!" Jo yelled, pointing at the book in his hands, anger glowing in her eyes. Suddenly Mithras yelped and the book was flung on the floor. The volume was laying on the floor in flames. Mithras looked open mouthed from the book to Jo and then back to the burning book once more. Jo's eyes twinkled and a smile spread across her lips. As the flames died down, Mithras raised his grey eyes to meet Jo's and he smiled.  
  
" Well…it wasn't a candle…!"  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
For the next week, as the sun rose each morning, so did the friends. As the sun traversed the sky, the friends toiled at their studies below. Lina, Puw and Lamim pushing them ever onwards, learning more and more with each passing hour. As the sun set every evening, the friends would return to their suite of rooms before retiring to their beds exhausted. All the friends except Jo.  
  
Guillaume went to her room each morning to wake her, to spend a few moments with her before they were separated for another day. But every morning he would quietly open her door to find her room empty, Jo's study having already begun with Mithras. Then, late into the night Guillaume's dark eyes would look out of his window and to Mithras' tower where Jo would still be studying. Eventually tiredness would take over and he would drift into sleep with dreams where he and Jo would simply sit with each other.  
  
Little did Guillaume know that every night Jo would silently creep into his room, her eyes aching from reading scroll after scroll by candlelight, to bid him goodnight. Jo would sit and watch over him as he slept, usually falling asleep by his side, before kissing his forehead and returning to the tower and her study while the sky was still dark and sprinkled with stars.  
  
And so it was that as the sun rose on the seventh day of their stay in Vaniria, the friends had hardly seen those who were not in their groups for tuition and no one had seen Jo.  
  
" Rosie…please…could you put the dagger down while we're eating?!" Lucy flinched as Rosie twirled the small blade in her fingers, light glinting off the polished metal as it spun faster between her fingers. Rosie grinned at her nervous friend and quickly sheathed the knife.  
  
" Sorry…" Rosie shrugged, " its just habit now I guess!" Lucy rolled her eyes as she glanced at Lina, who had joined them for breakfast as always, absent-mindedly twirling the butter knife through her fingers as Rosie had just been doing.  
  
" And I can't think where you've picked up that habit!" Lucy frowned before returning her attention to the book that lay by her plate.  
  
" Well in that case…" smirked Martin, swiping the book up and closing it. " You can put your book away too!" He grinned as Lucy snatched at the book but he held it just out of her reach.  
  
" Hey! I was reading that…!" Lucy groaned.  
  
" Yes I noticed that…but we're not in our lessons now!" Martin winked, putting the book on the other side of him, out of Lucy's grasp.  
  
" But Madam Puw wants us to…" started Lucy.  
  
" So you can read it later…please…" his smile softened. " Can't we just forget about our studies and just enjoy spending some time with each other? Time without being told the correct way to throw rocks!"  
  
" You mean there's a wrong way to throw rocks?!" giggled Jenny as Lina's head snapped up and her blue eyes blazed at the students sat at the table.  
  
" Yes there's a wrong way! I mean…if you…" Lina started to explain but was drowned out by groans and pieces of bread being thrown at her. She put her hands up to stop the onslaught. " Ok…ok! No tutoring at breakfast!" Laughter filled the air and the friends began to chat amongst themselves. However, one end of the room remained quiet. Guillaume was sat silently at the end of the table, brooding darkly into the glass of water before him.  
  
" You ok Guillaume?" Marius asked gently, sipping at his own water. There was no reply, it didn't seem as if Guillaume had even heard him. " Guillaume?" Marius repeated a little louder. Guillaume's eyes suddenly left the glass and glanced up at the others, all of who were looking at him with concern evident in their eyes. He smiled weakly,  
  
" Huh? Sorry, I wasn't listening…" he rolled his dark eyes and sighed.  
  
" That's ok…" Bertrande smiled, " You didn't miss much…"  
  
" Well other than everyone pelting me with bread!" grumbled Lina, who was still picking crumbs out of her thick blonde hair. Guillaume laughed quietly.  
  
" Why ever did they do that?" He raised a dark eyebrow.  
  
" Because I was trying to explain that there is in fact a 'wrong' way to throw rocks…which is…" Lina started and quickly stopped as Guillaume picked up a bread roll and pretended to aim it at her. She groaned, " Oh I give up!" Before Guillaume could retaliate the sound of a horn filled the air. Lina's gaze suddenly became serious as she stood up and walked over to the window. Looking down into the courtyard she waved at someone.  
  
" I have a message…I shouldn't be long…" she smiled before launching herself out of the window.  
  
" I wish I could that…" sighed Amos.  
  
" What? Jump out of a window?" Simon frowned.  
  
" No! Fly…" Amos answered dreamily.  
  
" It certainly would make things more interesting!" laughed Mark quickly followed by the others.  
  
" I wonder what the message was…" Phillipe mumbled but before the friends could discuss it further Lina reappeared in the window and landed lightly on the floor a huge smile on her face.  
  
" Well I'm guessing the message is a good one!" Phillipe smiled.  
  
" I have just been informed that Madam Puw and Madam Lamim believe you need no further instruction…as do I…"  
  
" Does that mean what I think it means…?" Rosie's face grew brighter.  
  
" No more lessons?" Lucy beamed.  
  
" No more lessons!" Lina confirmed, giggling as the room was filled with whoops of joy from the friends.  
  
" At last…we can finally spend a day together…" sighed Marius contentedly, taking Rosie's hand in his for a moment.  
  
" What about Jo? Have her studies ended?" Guillaume's voice was full of sadness as if he already knew the answer.  
  
" Well…Mithras wasn't actually involved in the discussion…and Jo's study is slightly different to yours…" Lina said quietly, wincing as she watched the anger sparkling in Guillaume's dark eyes.  
  
" But she's been studying non-stop!" Guillaume snapped, leaping to his feet and causing his chair to clatter noisily to the floor. " None of us have seen her days!"  
  
" She has been working a lot…" agreed Mark.  
  
" She's been working constantly!" frowned Jenny.  
  
" Don't blame me…!" shouted Lina. " It's nothing to do with me what Mithras decides!"  
  
" Sorry Lina…" Guillaume's voice immediately became softer and apologetic. " It's just…I haven't seen her for so long…" he sighed, picking up his chair and standing it by the table. Suddenly the doors opened to reveal a harassed looking Mithras. Guillaume's apologetic face instantly hardened, his angry eyes boring into the grey ones that had just entered the room.  
  
" Has anyone seen Jo?" Mithras gasped, his chest heaving from obviously running up the stairs.  
  
" Are you having a laugh?!" Guillaume snapped. " None of us have seen her since this whole tutoring business began!" Mithras swallowed nervously as his eyes caught Guillaume's for a second.  
  
" Why? Have you lost her or something…?" grinned Rosie.  
  
" Well not exactly…" Mithras started, trying to avoid Guillaume's blazing eyes.  
  
" What do you mean…not exactly…" Phillipe's voice became darker as he rose slowly to his feet. Followed by the others, all of who looked less than pleased that something might have happened to Jo.  
  
" Oh it's nothing serious…" Mithras tried to smile. " It's just that I promised her that if she could disapparate and apparate successfully then I would consider her tutoring complete. I mean , she can do everything else perfectly…" He smiled in the satisfied way that most teacher's do when their pupil excels.  
  
" I'm guessing that this disappearing business she's not so perfect at…?" Rosie raised an eyebrow.  
  
" Disapparating…" corrected Mithras, " …Is simple enough and Jo has grasped the basics, the problem is she has a habit of…well…" Mithras rolled his eyes. " …Not apparating straight away…" he groaned.  
  
" So…? Surely that means she can do it well?" Mark frowned as he leant on the table.  
  
" Well it wouldn't be so bad but she also has a habit of misbehaving before she apparates too…" Now it was Mithras' turn to frown. The friends exchanged knowing smiles as they sat back down around the table.  
  
" Is that all?!" Lucy grinned. " Come on Mithras…this is Jo we're talking about it here! You didn't seriously expect her to not take an opportunity like this did you?"  
  
" So has Jo's study finally finished then?" Guillaume suddenly asked, the venom in his voice seeming to drain the colour out of Mithras' face.  
  
" It's just that ours has and we wondered if hers had too…" Bertrande tried to clear the air a little as Mithras turned to face her.  
  
" Well…yes…yes I suppose it has…" Mithras smiled weakly at Bertrande as he could almost feel Guillaume's sneer burning into his back.  
  
" I wouldn't worry Mithras…" Jenny smiled warmly, " Jo'll turn up when she's good and ready! She probably just wants a break…"  
  
" You're probably right…" Mithras sighed. " Well, when you do see her…will you let her know…?" He headed for the door, desperate to put something between Guillaume's furious gaze and himself.  
  
" Don't worry we'll tell her!" Amos grinned as Mithras let himself out the door. Guillaume sat down heavily in the chair and his brow knitted together.  
  
'If Jo's finished her study, why hasn't she come to see me?' he thought to himself.  
  
" Well where else did you think I'd go!" a voice came from behind his chair. Guillaume shrieked and leapt to his feet. Spinning around Guillaume saw two familiar green eyes looking at him from over the chair.  
  
" Jo…" Guillaume's broke into a wide smile, " It feels like I haven't seen you for weeks…" The rest of the friends smiled and averted their eyes as Jo and Guillaume moved the chair between them and embraced each other.  
  
" Oh I have missed you, you know…" Jo whispered in his ear as she hugged him to her.  
  
" Not half as much as I've missed you…" he looked down into her face, a cheeky grin and mischievous glint in his eyes. He leant down and kissed her gently.  
  
" Sorry to interrupt you two…" Lina coughed after a few moments, she waited as Jo and Guillaume separated and sat down, their hands entwined. " But I didn't get to finish my message!" She smiled and her eyes twinkled with excitement. Lina took a deep breath and " King Marduk has declared that as your training is complete, the quest will start the day after the next full moon…"  
  
" Which is…?" Simon asked.  
  
" A weeks time…" Jo answered quickly, wanting to hear what else Lina had to say.  
  
" Thank you…on the night of the full moon his majesty as announced that there is to a be a grand ball in honour of those partaking in the quest!" Lina finished happily.  
  
" So basically we're having a party before we go and get ourselves killed…" Amos giggled before Jenny elbowed him in the ribs. " Hey!" he groaned, rubbing his side.  
  
" That's not funny!" Jenny frowned.  
  
" A ball? As in dancing?" Rosie beamed.  
  
" A ball as in…ball gowns?" Jo swallowed nervously. Having finally left an age of long dresses behind Jo was in no hurry to get back into another one.  
  
" It is a state function so proper attire will be required…" Lina's tone was final as if she expected Jo to put up and argument.  
  
" Oh great…" Jo mumbled under her breath.  
  
" But…between now and the day of the ball…you can do whatever you like…!" Lina beamed, watching as the friends' faces grew even brighter. They all exchanged excited looks and broad smiles. " Well…what on earth are you sitting here for? Go…relax!!" laughed Lina as the friends scrambled out of their seats and hurried out of the door. 


	11. PART 47

A faint smile twitched on Obsequious' lips as his riding party reached a village on the border of Aesina and the Swamplands. Up ahead, a faint flickering on the horizon indicated that his orders had been followed. As they rode on, the burning skeletons of the village greeted them. In haling the smell of burnt timbers and smoke, Obsequious sighed almost contentedly as he stopped his horse. His steed was a large black beast with even darker eyes and fierce temper. A guard approached tentatively as Obsequious dismounted and stretched, although whether the source of his fear was the large black beast snorting viciously in his ear or whether is was the shadow of his leader that made him shiver even the guard could not say.  
  
" I take it the villagers were given my message…" Obsequious' voice was dangerously quiet and it carried on the breeze like the smoke in the air.  
  
" Yes sire…" the guard kept a tight hold of the horse's reins and avoided eye contact, instead focusing on a pendant around Obsequious' neck.  
  
" And…" Obsequious continued, " …I take it that my message was well received…" he laughed, joined quickly by those around him.  
  
" They refused to acknowledge you as their ruler, sire…as you predicted…" answered the guard, holding out the reins before him and still keeping his eyes on the necklace. Obsequious' smile grew as he glanced around at the carnage surrounding them as if he was surveying a work of art and then remounted his steed.  
  
" Then the word will be spread…soon Vaniria will know…" Obsequious spat the name as if it made a foul taste in his mouth, "Fables and myths would only protect them for so long…that time has ended."  
  
"…Sire…" a voice began, nerves clearly trembling. " There are rumours that…well…rumours that strangers have arrived in Vaniria…"  
  
" And…?" Obsequious raised a dark eyebrow as he turned to face the voice. A pale-faced guard was shifting his weight from foot to foot, again his eyes firmly fixed on any other focal point than his Lord's eyes.  
  
" Well…the rumour says that they are being trained my Lord…"  
  
" Trained…?" Obsequious' voice remained quiet and the guard coughed nervously.  
  
" L-L-Lina of Crystallia has been training the strangers…"  
  
" I have also heard that Mithras, the scholar, has also taken a new pupil…" added another, equally frightened looking guard.  
  
" Strangers…? Training…?" Obsequious snorted. " As I said…the time for myths and stories is over…" he laughed, this time his hysterical laughter was the only sound in the air. The guards gathered around his horse exchanged confused and anxious glances. Obsequious paused to wipe tears of laughter from his eyes as he regained his composure. As the smoke from the burning buildings clouded the sky, Obsequious' expression grew darker, his long fingers wrapped around the pendant around his neck. " So…Vaniria is relying on a story…a dream to save them…" The shard of crystal in his fingers gleamed in a rogue ray of sunlight that penetrated the smoke swirling around him. The smile on his face twisted into a snarl. " Soon that same dream…will become a nightmare…from which there will be no waking!" His hand wrapped tightly around the crystal as his maniacal laughter once again filled the air.  
  
********  
  
" Jo…? Jo…?" Guillaume frowned as he said her name for the tenth time. " Jo…?!" He said more insistently, reaching out for her arm. She jumped visibly as he touched her, her eyes previously fixed on an invisible object looked into his with panic plainly shining in them. " Jo are you ok?" Guillaume's voice grew gentle as he reached up and brushed her hair back from her face.  
  
" Yeah…yeah I'm fine…" Jo smiled weakly and squeezed his hand.  
  
" What were you thinking about? You looked absolutely petrified…" Guillaume held her hand in his.  
  
" I did?…It…it was nothing…really…" Jo tried to sound convincing even though she wasn't entirely sure herself why her heart was pounding madly in her chest the way it was. " Just thinking too much I guess…"  
  
" Well…tutoring is over now…" Guillaume winked. " So no more 'thinking'…alright?" Jo grinned as his sparkling eyes met hers.  
  
" Alright…no more thinking…" Jo leant against him, his arm around her waist, as they looked out over Vaniria from the top of the city wall. " Who wants to think with all this to look at anyway…" she sighed contentedly, trying to forget that moments earlier it felt as if an icy hand had gripped her heart.  
  
" Mmmm…" Guillaume agreed, kissing her hair as her head lay against his shoulder.  
  
" It's been awful not seeing you…" Jo snuggled closer into the crook of his arm.  
  
" But I did see you…" sighed Guillaume, holding her closer. "…I saw you in my dreams…"  
  
" And you were in mine…" Jo looked up into his face, her green eyes piercing the darkness of his. Guillaume leant his head towards hers, their lips about to meet when a growling sound came from behind them. They parted and turned to see two large golden eyes looking disappointedly at them. " Oh Billabong…" groaned Jo, turning to face the orange and black animal.  
  
" What's he doing up here…?" Guillaume frowned.  
  
" I could ask you two the same thing…" came a voice from above. Jo and Guillaume looked up to see Lina hovering above them, one perfectly shaped eyebrow raised in a similar expression to that of the Regit by their side.  
  
" You know, I was just going to say 'I wonder where Lina is?'" Jo sighed as Lina landed gracefully next to Billabong, running a hand through his velvety fur.  
  
" Well…?" Lina looked at Guillaume and then at Jo, "…what are you two doing up here…?"  
  
" Doing what you told us to…trying to relax!" Guillaume one of his own dark eyebrows.  
  
" Yes…I'm sure…" Lina sounded less than convinced. " Anyway, doesn't matter…I've come to collect Jo…"  
  
" What?!" Guillaume exclaimed, leaping to his feet. " You can't be serious! What on earth does Mithras want her for now?! Tutoring is over, you said so yourself! Now I haven't seen Jo for a week and if you think I'm going to let you take her back into that musty old tower…you've got another thing coming…!" Guillaume glared at the delicate girl before him who, it was fair to say, looked simply astounded at his outburst.  
  
" Guillaume…calm down…" Lina grinned, " Jo's tutoring, like yours, has finished…" Guillaume closed his mouth and frowned before sitting back down next to Jo.  
  
" Oh…" was all he could manage to say.  
  
" So what do you want me for?" Jo asked, trying to hold back her broad smile at Guillaume's outburst.  
  
" I've come to get you for a dress fitting…" Lina started.  
  
" What?!" Jo exclaimed, leaping to her feet. " You can't be serious…!" she began before Lina put up her hands to stop her.  
  
" Jo…calm down…" Lina smirked. " It's just a dress fitting! It's not like I'm asking you to ritually disembowel a mountain troll or anything…!" Jo pouted at the blue eyes before her and glanced down at Guillaume who was sat looking up at her, a cheeky grin on his face.  
  
" But I don't want to wear a dress…let alone one I have to be fitted for!!" groaned Jo. " Lina please…"  
  
" Jo, this is a State Ball…proper attire must be worn by all, as I said before…" Lina said flatly as Billabong followed her towards the steps leading back down into the city. "…and that means especially you! If I have to wear one…you certainly do!!" Lina grinned before heading down the steps, Billabong close to her heels.  
  
" But Guillaume I…" started Jo but Guillaume simply stood and lead her down the steps.  
  
" Jo…you are going to wear a ball gown whether you like it or not…so it might as well be one you've at least had a hand in making…." Guillaume reasoned. Jo looked at him with an expression of pure disgust on her face.  
  
" But a ball gown?!"  
  
" If not for Lina…or the King…for me?" Guillaume's dark brown eyes looked straight into hers, "…please…?" Jo rolled her eyes and groaned.  
  
" Fine…I'll go! I'll get fitted or measured or…whatever it is they do!" Jo followed where Lina and the Regit had gone. " But if I have to go through all this effort…I expect no less from you!" she shouted as she disappeared into a doorway. Guillaume smiled to himself as he headed into the castle, he had an appointment of his own to keep. 


	12. PART 48

The children of Vaniria watched gleefully from their bedroom windows as carriage after carriage past by their homes before drawing up in front of the castle. The little girls gasped and sighed over the ball gowns that descended from the carriages and gracefully made their way up the stairs and into the castle. The young boys eagerly discussed the dress-uniforms of the guards posted at the entrances and the swords and sabres carried by the gentlemen attending the ball. This was the first State Ball to have been held in Vaniria in over ten years and the first of its size in anyone's memory. It was doubted that anyone would ever see the likes of it again. As such the whole city was involved, not just the castle and its inhabitants. The streets surrounding the castle were decorated with paper lanterns and streamers. Musicians played in the market square, where food had been laid out by the castle's kitchens. The air was full of music and joy, not a soul could be found without a smile on their face. As the music played and the people danced in the square, inside the Great Hall the arrival of 'The Strangers' to the ball was imminent and was causing quite a stir.  
  
*********  
  
An urgent knocking at the door interrupted Simon as he tried desperately to do something with the 'fluff' that was his hair. He groaned and stamped his foot petchulantly.  
  
" What?!" he yelled at the door, " This had better be important!" He heard the handle being turned and focused his attention on the mirror before him once more. " Yes?" Simon asked abruptly once the door had opened. He turned to the side to hurl abuse at whoever it was that had dared to come in, when he found himself unable to speak. In the doorway stood Lina, her thick blonde hair had been painstakingly pinned up, with a few tendrils hanging down the back of her neck. With her hair up and off her face, her features seemed even more delicate and elfin like. Her usual tunic and boots were gone to be replaced with a shimmering silver dress, curving over her figure to the floor. Even her wings seemed to be sparkling, adding to the magical quality of her appearance. Simon was suddenly aware that he was staring and wrenched his eyes back to the mirror, where he could see colour flushing in his cheeks. " Wh-what do you want…?" he finally managed to ask, all abruptness gone from his voice.  
  
" I just came to see if you're ready…" Lina said quietly, taking in his appearance. He was wearing what Jo and the others had called a 'tuxedo' or the Vanirian equivalent at least. The white shirt and black suit made him look different, more mature than his sleeveless t-shirt and baggy trousers made him seem. He was still fiddling with his hair. " And…and I also came to ask you something…" she added quietly. Simon paused and swallowed nervously.  
  
" Er…what…what d'you want to ask…?"  
  
" Well…" Lina swallowed herself, "…It's about…"  
  
" Yes…" Simon allowed himself to look over at the girl in the doorway.  
  
" It's about your hair…"  
  
" For the love of God…!" Simon yelled, his clear blue eyes glittering with rage. " NO! My hair is not supposed to look like this! YES! I do mind you asking!!"  
  
" Actually I was going to…" Lina started but Simon was now oblivious to anything now other than venting his anger.  
  
" Stupid bloody gyratory, why'd it have to be so goddamn windy anyway! And as for this tutoring…why was I made to sit inside listening to children's bedtime stories when I would have been outside sharpening up my defence skills…!!" Lina strode over, ignoring his shouting, grabbed a chair and shoved it behind Simon; catching him behind the knees and forcing him to sit down. " What the…?!" Simon started but he was quickly silenced by the feel of Lina's hands in his hair.  
  
" Now…are you going to be quiet…or do I have to rip this lot out…?" She tugged gently on the blonde hair in her hands to prove her point. Simon merely nodded, confusion and a slight tinge of fear evident in his eyes. A small smile crept onto Lina's face as she reached behnd her and produced (from nowhere) a small silver box, opening it she revealed a solid lump of what looked like cloudy glass. Rubbing it between her fingertips for a few seconds, she then began to shape Simon's hair, twisting it into spikes. Within minutes the mass of blonde fuzz had been transformed into slick spikes. Snapping the silver box shut, Lina smiled as she looked at Simon's amazed face in the mirror.  
  
" How did you…? I mean what was…?" Simon stammered, standing and turning around to face her. " I mean…thank you…" A gentle, warm smile crossed his lips.  
  
" No problem…" Lina grinned back, " Here…" she handed him the silver box, " Call it a gift!"  
  
" What is it…?" Simon asked, holding the box in his hand as if it were made of solid gold.  
  
" Solidified tree sap…" Lina explained simply, "…I asked Jo about your hair and she told me how it used to look and I thought that you would have used something similar to this…"  
  
" Lina this is…well…" Simon's blue eyes met Lina's and shy smiles covered their faces. " Sad to say…but this may just be one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for me…" Simon said quietly.  
  
" Don't worry about it…" Lina was suddenly aware that she was blushing and stepped away. " Does it look alright…did I do it ok…?" She wrenched her eyes away from his. Simon glanced in the mirror and gently tweaked one of the spikes above his forehead.  
  
" Couldn't have done better myself!" he grinned turning back to Lina. " Well I'm ready…" he walked over to the winged girl before him and extended his hand, "…Would you do me the honour of accompanying me…?" his blue eyes twinkled as Lina smiled and placed his hand in his.  
  
" I would be delighted…" Lina beamed as they headed out of the door hand in hand.  
  
*********  
  
" No! I'm not coming out!"  
  
" But Jo, everyone's waiting! The guests…Lina…the whole flamin' Royal family and nearly all of Vaniria is in that hall!" Rosie glared at the door to Jo's room, through which Jo refused to come.  
  
" I feel like an idiot! And not just any idiot…an idiot in a ball gown!" Jo's annoyed voice came through the door.  
  
" But Jo, everyone's in a ball gown…" reasoned Lucy.  
  
" Er…not everyone!" Phillipe pointed out firmly as he straightened his tie.  
  
" Come on Jo…please…" Jenny asked gently, " Just let us see the dress and if it's as bad as you say it is then you can change…"  
  
" Well…" The friends could hear Jo's voice change as she considered the proposal. "…is…is Guillaume out there? I don't want him to see me in this thing!"  
  
" No…" Marius answered, " Last time I checked, he was still getting ready himself…"  
  
" Alright…" the door handle turned but the door remained closed. "…but if anyone laughs…I swear there won't be words to describe the pain you will feel!"  
  
" Enough with the threats Jo…lets just see the dress!" Mark rolled his green eyes and sighed.  
  
" …Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you!" The friends stepped back as the door started to open. Jo swallowed nervously as she stood in the doorway. " Well…?" She watched as smiles slowly crept across the faces before her. " Will I do?" she smirked after a moment's silence.  
  
" Yes Jo, I think you'll do…!" 


	13. PART 49

The Great Hall was full, honoured guests from across Vaniria and beyond filled the enormous room. Banners bearing emblems of nobility hung on the walls and the colours of red and gold were everywhere, from the tablecloths to the lanterns hung from the high vaulted ceiling. The marble floor had been carefully waxed and polished and now hundreds of people stood in anticipation on the red and gold stone. Despite the crowds, the hall was silent. Even King Marduk and Queen Eos, resplendent in red robed trimmed with gold were sat with nervous excitement shining in their eyes. By their side sat Aradia. Her long hair had been woven with forest green ribbon to match the colour of her gown. The deep rich colour bringing out the violet in her eyes. At the opposite end of the hall was the great staircase, the doors at the top were closed and guards posted at the sides. It was through these doors that the 'Strangers' were to make their entrance.  
  
********  
  
Behind the large, wooden doors, the mood was quite different.  
  
" Now remember, I'll announce you one at a time…" Lina explained carefully to the perplexed friends before her. " Then you come through the doors, make your way down the stairs and then move to the left…no right…" Lina frowned, " No…Left! Move to the left…Oh and don't forget to bow to their majesties when you reach the bottom of the stairs…or curtsey…bow or curtsey…" Lina swallowed nervously as she tried to think if she had forgotten anything.  
  
" Where's Guillaume?" Jo suddenly asked, her voice panicky. " I'm not going anywhere without him! Has anyone seen him…?" Jo glanced at the blank faces around her.  
  
" Not for a while…" Jenny mumbled as she pushed a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear.  
  
" Didn't you say he was still getting ready?" Rosie nudged Marius in the side.  
  
" Er yeah…yeah…I knocked on his door before and he said he wasn't quite done yet…" Marius pulled at his tie, it had been a while since he had last worn such formal attire.  
  
" Not quite done yet?" Jo repeated to herself, an eyebrow raised. " What on earth…?"  
  
" What on earth what?" a voice asked over Jo's shoulder. She turned around to find Guillaume stood behind her. Dressed in a black fitted suit and a gold waistcoat. His brown eyes sparkled as Jo's face broke into a smile as she took in his appearance. He was clean-shaven and when her eyes reached his face her mouth dropped open. His long hair had been cut short, the dark waves now fell around his ears and across his forehead. He ran a nervous hand through the shortened locks. " Wh-what do you think then…?"  
  
" Well…I…I mean…" Jo blinked and smiled broadly. " You look so…" Jo blushed slightly. " Well…you look really handsome…"  
  
" That's what I hoped you'd say…" Guillaume grinned, as he tried to prevent himself from blushing. " And you…you look…" Guillaume stepped back to look at Jo properly and found that his mouth had dropped open. Jo's own long dark waves had been twisted into ringlets, some pinned back off her face, the rest hanging down her back. She was wearing a long sleeveless gown, reaching to the floor, made of a dark purple material. There were also two dark purple flowers in the back of her hair. Jo bit her lip while she waited for Guillaume to say something.  
  
" Well…" Jo was aware she was holding her breath. Guillaume looked into her face,  
  
" You look…I mean…" Guillaume stepped forwards, " I can't…you just…that dress…" he continued to babble as a shy smile covered Jo's lips.  
  
" I look what…" Jo raised her eyebrow once more as he tried to compose himself. Guillaume rolled his dark eyes and sighed. He reached out for her hands and pulled her towards him.  
  
" Beautiful…" he whispered in her ear, " Simply beautiful…" Jo hugged him tighter for a second.  
  
" Thank you…" Jo whispered back as they separated. Lina opened her mouth to speak just as the sound of trumpets filled the air. The friends exchanged worried glances as Lina stepped towards the door and swallowed, trying to clear her throat. This was her cue. She glanced over her shoulder at them all and winked.  
  
" Don't worry! You'll be fine!!" She tried to smile bravely before she opened the door and slipped through.  
  
In the Great Hall the room seemed to get even quieter as Lina appeared at the top of the stairs. The winged girl looked out across the sea of faces before her and let out an anxious sigh. Taking a deep breath, Lina began her introduction.  
  
" Your majesties, lords, ladies and honoured guests…I, Lina of Crystallia, have the honour and the pleasure to introduce twelve individuals whose names, I'm sure, are more than familiar to all of us…" A faint laugh ran around the hall and Lina allowed herself to smile. Nerves were being replaced with excitement. " We have all, at one time or another, been told the tales of 'The Strangers'. A band of travellers who would on day bring peace and joy back to us all. Those 'Strangers' have already over come many dangers to arrive here in Vaniria and now…there are prepared to undertake a quest that will result in the happiness of all of us!" A solitary cheer rang out from one corner of the hall, Lina glanced over to see Mithras' sparkling grey eyes beaming through the faces. Soon another, and another joined his voice. Soon the Great Hall was ringing with cheers. Lina grinned as she put up her hands to silence the impromptu display of joyousness. Hush fell on the crowds once more. Lina looked across the faces once more, " And so…without further ado…may I present…'The strangers'!" The yelling started up again as Lina moved to one side of the steps, ready to announce each of the group. Lina cleared her throat and waited for the noise to subside slightly before beginning again.  
  
" Once upon a time…" Lina grinned, now beginning to enjoy her job. " There were a group of friends…and one day they began an adventure that was to take them through time and space…to places they had only ever dreamed of. Along the way…they were joined by others…the most recent addition to the group joined them in a place called Jerusalem. Finding the friends when one of them was wounded and in need of help…he decided to join and help them…may I present…Simon Zealotes…!" Lina announced, her eyes sparkling as she turned back to see a frightened Simon appear in the doorway. All at once the cheering started again and Simon began to make his way down the steps. At the bottom he turned and bowed gracefully to the King and Queen before stepping to the side. He glanced over his shoulder and looked up at Lina, winked and then looked back at the crowds. Lina smiled to herself as she took another deep breath.  
  
" Before arriving in Jerusalem…the friends found themselves in America…and in a barn. It was in this barn that they met a group of children, tending to a wounded man. They also met the next person who was to join their group…Amos…!" As Amos appeared around the side of the doors, the riotous shouts began again. He ran a hand through his blonde hair as he made his way down the stairs. A shy grin covered Amos' face as he bowed to the royals and stood next to Simon at the foot of the stairs.  
  
" The group of friends arrived in America after making…a somewhat hurried exit from a French village called Artigat…" There was a gasp from the people in the Hall as they remembered what had happened to the friends there. " Whilst staying in the village, the friends met several people who would join them on their journey…" Lina smiled as she took another deep breath. " First of all there was a young man whose strength of character has proved itself time and again…may I present to you…Martin Guerre…" There were several whistles from the crowd as Martin appeared and walked down the steps, a slightly bemused expression on his face. Standing next to Amos and Simon he sighed to himself. This was unbelievable. Lina continued,  
  
" Martin was not the only person from the village to join the friends…a childhood friend of his would also show great personal courage in joining the band of travellers…I give you…Bertrande De Rols!" The crowds in the Hall cheered loudly once more as Bertrande made her entrance. Her long blonde hair had been swept up and was decorated with flowers. She was wearing a flowing, rust-coloured gown, the colour of which matched the flowers in her hair. She curtseyed gracefully upon reaching the bottom of the stairs and stood next to Martin.  
  
" One last person from Artigat was to join our friends…" Hush fell on the crowd once more. " His devotion and strength have proven themselves vital to the group…may I present…Guillaume…!" As Guillaume entered the hall, the cheering started again. Whoops of joy came from the crowd as he made his way down the steps, bowed and stood next to the others. Lina licked her lips as she continued.  
  
" The first place that the friends found themselves was a city called Paris…in a time of revolution, the friends found themselves at the very heart of the struggle and it was there that they met the first two people who would join them! First…they met a young, idealistic student…ladies and gentlemen…may I present…Marius Pontmercy…!" The crowds cheering began again as Marius stood at the top of the staircase. A wide grin on his face, he made his way down the stairs and bowed to the King, Queen and Princess before standing next to Guillaume, the wide grin still on his face.  
  
" The second person the friends were to meet was in fact on the opposite side…but his courage and sense of justice have made him a key part of the group. May I present…Inspector Phillipe Javert!" Lina had barely finished announcing him and the cheering had started again. As Phillipe made his way down the stairs, he wore a shy grin. Bowing gracefully at the bottom, Phillipe flicked his long, steel coloured hair back over his shoulder as he stood next to the others.  
  
" But in the beginning…there were five…" Lina said dramatically, an excited glint stealing into her eyes, and the eyes of everyone in the Hall. " Five friends who started the adventure in the first place. I have the honour to present to you now…the first of the five friends. The oldest friend to enter that first Gyratory in the woods, whose sensible nature has been an important part of the group…ladies and gentlemen…I present…Jenny…" The crowd whooped and yelled as Jenny appeared in the doorway. Even the King and Queen stood to applaud. Jenny made her way carefully down the stairs, beaming as she did so. She was dressed in a pale lilac dress, roses of the same colour had been carefully pinned into her hair. She curtseyed upon reaching the bottom of the stairs and sighed as she stood next to Phillipe.  
  
" The next friend to come through the red Gyratory was a young man whose thoughtfulness and personal courage have been vital to the friends as they've travelled…your majesties and honoured guests…may I present…Mark!" The cheering had barely stopped before it started again. Mark's green eyes sparkled as he walked slowly down the stairs. Bowing to the Royal family, he reached the bottom and stood next to Jenny.  
  
" A peacemaker was the next friend to come through the Gyratory…quiet, reserved and clever…I have the honour to present to you…Lucy…" When Lucy appeared in the doorway, her brown eyes shone as the crowds clapped and cheered. Her gown was dark red in colour and her dark brown curls had been swept up and were decorated with blood red roses. Delicately, she made her way down the stairs before curtseying and joining the others.  
  
" The fourth friend to travel through the red Gyratory to Paris was a young girl whose timidity has done nothing to prevent her from being courageous when he friends have needed her…may I present to you now…Rosie!" The cheering rang in the hall as Rosie appeared in the doorway and started down the stairs. She was wearing a long gown, midnight blue in colour, a single blue flower had been pinned into her long dark hair as it hung down her back and past her waist. She curtseyed to Marduk, Eos and Aradia before standing with the others at the foot of the stairs. A hush descended in the Hall as Lina prepared to make her final introduction. A smirk stole onto her lips as she scanned the crowds before her.  
  
" At last it is time to meet the final member of this group of friends… a leader and a witch…but above all…a passionate friend…your majesties, lord and ladies, I have the honour to present to you…Jo…!"  
  
As Jo appeared in the doorway, the cheering was deafening, even the King and Queen and Princess Aradia were on their feet applauding. Jo grinned and waved at the hoards of people below her before making her way down the steps. Upon reaching the bottom she curtseyed as gracefully as she could before grinning at the people around her. As the applause subsided Lina smiled at them all.  
  
" Well…now that our guests of honour are here…let the Ball begin!" She announced as music began to play. Musicians behind screens played an energetic waltz and the music filled the air. Lina made her way down the steps to join the friends as the guests started to dance or move around the Hall. " Did I do ok?" Lina asked breathlessly as the friends all stood around her.  
  
" You did very well!" Jo grinned, calmer now that Guillaume's hand was holding her tightly behind her back.  
  
" I did? Really?" Lina's bright blue eyes sparkled, " Good...I was so nervous…"  
  
" Oh give over…" giggled Rosie. " Admit it…you loved it!"  
  
" Well...maybe I did…a bit…!!" Lina beamed happily and the friends laughed as soon all nerves were forgotten. The group of friends stood and watched as the guests danced past them.  
  
" Well…seeing as how this is a ball…" Marius said suddenly, reaching for Rosie's hand. " May I have the honour of this dance…?" Rosie flushed with colour as she took his hand and he led her out on to the floor. Within moments Rosie and Marius were dancing happily together in each other's arms.  
  
" Seems like a good idea to me…" grinned Mark as he and Bertrande joined them out on the floor.  
  
" I don't think we should let them have all the fun…!" Lucy giggled as Martin took her hand and they too began to dance to the joyful tune in the air.  
  
" Will you accompany me onto the dance floor good sir…?" Jenny turned to Amos, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.  
  
" I've never danced like that before…" Amos admitted shyly, but Jenny reached for his hand anyway.  
  
" Neither have I!" She admitted as they began to dance, tentatively at first and then more gracefully. Simon glanced at Lina who was stood by his side, watching the dancing couples happily.  
  
" Er Lina…" Lina glanced back up at him "…Would you…?" He asked as he looked down into her eyes, blue gazing into blue.  
  
" Uh huh…" Lina nodded, taking his hand. " I'd love to…" Simon smiled as he led her onto the floor and they soon followed the example of the others. Guillaume, Jo and Phillipe stood and watched them all for a few moments.  
  
" Am I too late to beg a partner…?" A quiet voice came from behind Phillipe, he turned to see Aradia's lilac eyes looking up into his. He flushed briefly before bowing his head slightly and offering his hand.  
  
" I would be delighted your highness…" A handsome smile broke onto Phillipe's face as Aradia placed a delicate hand in his and they walked onto the floor together. Jo sighed happily as Phillipe and Aradia danced in front of them.  
  
" Are you alright…?" Guillaume asked gently, remembering a night in a barn when Phillipe had declared his 'undying love' for Jo, causing her to runaway and end up losing her memory. Although the matter was no longer an issue, Phillipe had admitted he had been wrong to say what he had, Guillaume couldn't help but wonder whether Jo still had feelings for the Parisian Inspector.  
  
" I'm more than alright…" Jo grinned, looking up at him. " Now then…" Jo squeezed his hand gently, " Are you going to ask me to dance…or do I have to wait for Mithras to?!" Jo winked and Guillaume smiled. Jo's green eyes sparkled as he kissed the back of her hand softly. He took a step towards the floor and held out his hand to Jo.  
  
" May I have the honour of this dance…?"  
  
" I would be delighted…" Jo smiled softly, taking his hand and joining him on the floor. 


	14. PART 50

Soon all the friends were dancing amongst the guests at the Ball. Guillaume and Jo smiled happily at each other as they danced in each other's arms.  
" You're good at this…" Jo said, a surprised tone in her voice.  
" That's funny…I was going to say the same thing about you!" smirked Guillaume. Jo hit his arm playfully.  
" Hey…" She grinned, " For someone dressed up like Prince Charming…you certainly don't act like him!" Guillaume laughed, before a tap on his shoulder stopped him. They stopped dancing and Guillaume turned to find Mithras stood behind him.  
" Oh Mithras…" Jo smiled, " How are you enjoying the Ball…?"  
" Oh it's wonderful…" Mithras said happily, trying to avoid Guillaume's less then impressed stare.  
" How can we help you…?" Guillaume asked suddenly, after a moment of awkward silence.  
" Well…er…" Mithras glanced at Guillaume for a second, " I was wondering if…I…er…" He swallowed nervously and ran a hand through his thick brown hair, which looked as if it had had its first encounter with a comb recently.  
" Wondering if what…?" Guillaume repeated quietly, holding Jo's hand firmly in his.  
" If I might have a dance with Jo…" Mithras said quickly, hoping that the speed of its delivery would prevent Guillaume from understanding his request.  
" What…?!" Guillaume started but Jo stepped in front of him and smiled at Mithras.  
" That would be lovely Mithras, thank you…" She glanced back over her shoulder at Guillaume. " Wouldn't it be lovely Guillaume…?!" Jo raised an eyebrow at his jealous stare. Guillaume frowned as he released her hand and forced himself to smile at the nervous tutor before him.  
" Lovely…" Guillaume repeated through gritted teeth as he smiled. Mithras held out his hand and Jo placed her hand in his.  
" Don't worry…I won't be long…" Jo smiled back at Guillaume as Mithras led her out onto the floor. Soon they were dancing amongst the other couples and Mithras glanced back over at Guillaume who was stood brooding on the edge of the floor.  
" Maybe I shouldn't have asked…" Mithras said nervously.  
" Maybe Guillaume needs to learn to relax!" Jo giggled. " I mean I love him but sometimes…" She rolled her eyes. " Anyway…I wasn't lying…this is nice!" Jo smiled at the young tutor before her.  
" I hope I haven't upset him too much…" Mithras continued and Jo groaned.  
" If you're that worried about it, why are you dancing with me! Why don't you go dance with **him**!" Jo laughed as Mithras blushed. " I won't mind honest!" Jo grinned. They continued to dance, twirling gently amongst the other couples on the floor.  
As the dance ended, Mithras took Jo's hand to lead her back to the edge of the floor. To where Guillaume was stood, a little of the anger seeming to have gone from his face.  
" You two looked good together…" Guillaume said quietly, " Mithras you dance very well…" A smile crossing his face for the first time since Mithras had approached them. "…for a tutor…"  
" Er…thank you Guillaume…" Mithras was taken aback by Guillaume's compliment. Jo allowed herself to smile proudly at Guillaume, she slipped her arm through his as Mithras bowed and excused himself.  
" I thought you were very charming just then…!" Jo smiled as Guillaume held her in his arms once more.  
" Well, I was trying my hardest…" Guillaume admitted. " Now then where were we…" He looked down at her and smiled as the music began again for the next dance. As they were about to join the other guests on the dance floor the sound of annoyed voices filled the air. The attention of all was turned to the platform on which the Royal family were sitting. Jo glanced up at Guillaume,  
" I wonder what's going on…?"  
" No idea…" shrugged Guillaume before Jo grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowds towards the platform. As they approached, Aradia's firm voice could be heard.  
" But Uncle…it _is_ my responsibility! Even you must see that…" Aradia said firmly.  
" No!" Marduk answered, his voice echoing in the now silent hall. There was not a person in the room who was not listening to the family debate that was taking place. " I must not see anything of the sort! I will not send my only niece, and heir to the throne of Aesina to die on quest, on which she can not possibly help!" Aradia opened her mouth to argue but the King raised a hand to stop her. The Queen sighed sadly,  
" Aradia, we know how you feel…but how can you expect to be of any help on such a quest…you have been taught in the ways of court…not the ways of survival…"  
" I know more than you think I do…" Aradia said quietly, stealing a glance at Lina, who nodded at her to go on. " I have been learning defence for some time now…"  
" Aradia! How could you…!" Queen Eos' voice rang with disappointment. " You're a princess! You will one day be Queen…"  
" And as such I would like to be able to defend my throne and my people!" Aradia frowned at her Aunt.  
" And what good would you be to your people if you got yourself killed before you could reclaim your throne…" Marduk said bluntly.  
" Your majesties…" a voice came from the crowd and Jo appeared at the side of the platform. " I for one would be honoured to have Aradia with us…"  
" That is very kind of you to say Jo…" King Marduk smiled, " But…you must realise the dangers of such involvement…"  
" The dangers, your highness, are just as great for the rest of us…" Jo stepped up onto the platform. Bowing her head as she spoke, "…but I swear…we would do everything we could to prevent anything happening to her…just as we would do for anyone travelling with us…" Jo glanced at the King. "…If it cost me my life…I would gladly lay it down for a friend…" she added solemnly. Marduk's deep blue eyes looked into hers and he smiled.  
" I believe you would…" He said gently. " You're sure that this is what you want to do…?" Marduk turned to Aradia.  
" I have never been more sure of anything in my life…" Aradia admitted breathlessly. Marduk looked over at Eos, a weary smile touched her lips and she nodded slowly.  
" Very well then…" Marduk said quietly, " You have my permission…" Before he could finish speaking Aradia flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. The crowd in the Hall cheered loudly. " I won't let you, or my people down…" Aradia whispered in his ear. " I promise!"  
" I know…" Marduk whispered back. " I know…"  
As the applause died down, Jo made her way off the platform followed quickly by Aradia. As the music once again filled the air Aradia caught Jo's arm and made her turn back to face her.  
" Why…why did you do that…?" Aradia frowned and Jo smiled gently.  
" Because I know how strongly you feel about all this…" Jo sighed. " I know what it's like to want to do something so badly and not be allowed…" her sigh became a smile, "…although in my case I usually do it anyway!" Jo laughed gently as she recalled times in the past when her determination had gotten the better of her. " Plus, I want you to come with us!"  
" Y-you do…?" Aradia sounded surprised.  
" Of course I do!" Jo grinned at the Princess before her. " If nothing else, we need someone with us who knows a little more about the social etiquette of this country! I mean no offence to Lina but…I think we'll need a little more than her quick reflexes to get us through this quest!" Aradia smiled back as they glanced at Lina, who was once again dancing in the arms of Simon.  
" I may not be the strongest person…or the best fighter…" Aradia admitted after a moment of thought, " But I will help you all I can…and I will try!" Jo studied the girl before her, not much older than herself. The responsibility of running a country was something Jo couldn't even comprehend and yet this girl was willing to risk her life to take up the challenge.  
" I think you'll surprise yourself Highness…we're all a little stronger than we think we are…" Jo bobbed a small curtsey before leaving the Princess and returning to Guillaume's side. He was stood deep in conversation with Phillipe when she approached, Jo reached out and gently ran her hand down his arm and took his hand in hers. His brown eyes sparkled at her as he grinned over his shoulder at her.  
" So you've come back have you…" he smirked, turning to face her, his hand still in hers. " No more radical speeches to make?" he grinned as Jo rolled her eyes.  
" Oh come on…that was hardly the most radical thing you've seen me do…trust me, I've done worse!" Jo giggled. " Can't think of any right now…" she said looking at the floor sheepishly.  
" Oh I can…I can distinctly remember an occasion where you climbed onto a barricade and single-handedly tried to stop a revolution!" Phillipe mused behind them both.  
" I don't doubt it for a second!" Guillaume smirked as Jo blushed.  
" Well it wasn't like I did it alone…and anyway…if I remember correctly, Marius was up on that barricade too!" Jo tried to offload some of the responsibility.  
" Yes, well, as I remember it…I only did it to stop you being shot!" Marius laughed as he and Rosie danced past them.  
" Yeah well…" Jo started to argue her point but she gave up.  
" Don't worry…" Phillipe smiled warmly at them as Aradia appeared by his side once more. " I'm sure that won't be the last time you have a chance to be 'radical' Jo!" He laughed as he and Aradia joined the people on the dance floor.  
" Come here you…" Guillaume grinned as he pulled Jo into his arms. " Now then…am I going to get to dance with you…or what…?" Jo laughed as he held her tighter and they began to dance amongst the other couples in the Hall. While the music filled the air the group of friends were oblivious to what lay before them. All that mattered was that they were all together, having fun and more importantly, they were with people that they loved.


	15. PART 51

The full moon seemed to be floating in the cloudless sky as Phillipe and Aradia stepped out onto one of the balconies, lining the Great Hall. Looking up, the night sky was illuminated by the moon and decorated by the stars. Phillipe let out a happy sigh as he saw those familiar sentinels in the sky.  
" This is my favourite place…" Aradia spoke quietly, her lilac eyes also looking up at the stars above them.  
A sudden gust of wind caught the cord in Phillipe's hair and blew it out. His long grey hair falling about his shoulders in the breeze. He frowned as he tried to grab the cord but it had blown out of his reach.  
" Here…" Aradia reached behind her head and gently removed one of the green ribbons from her hair. Reaching up she deftly gathered Phillipe's steel coloured mane and tied it with the ribbon. " There you go…" She said gently stepping back.  
" Thank you…" Phillipe smiled shyly.  
" You know…there are stars up there named after you all…" Aradia said after a shy silence.  
" There are…?" Phillipe looked down at her, amazement shining in his pale green eyes.  
" Yes…" Aradia smiled, pointing at the sky. " Just to the left of the moon…that small group of stars is named after you all…the ones that look like a star…" Phillipe squinted as he looked up at the cluster of twelve stars, making the vague shape of a six-pointed star.  
" Twelve stars…" Phillipe muttered to himself as Aradia continued.  
" They were named by the last of the wise ones in the old language…there are called… 'L'étoile des étrangers'…it means…"  
" The star of the Strangers…" Phillipe finished, without taking his eyes from the constellation above them. " The old language…?" Phillipe frowned and glanced down at the Princess stood beside him. " You mean you spoke French here…?"  
" Years and years ago…some places still speak it…" Aradia smiled. " We knew from the manuscripts that some of you could also speak it…" Phillipe let out an amazed sigh before returning his eyes to the heavens. " In the areas still using the old language…it is also known as 'L'étoile de l'amitié'…which is what it symbolises to many of our people…" Aradia finished with a touch of emotion in her voice.  
" So that's why I saw a star like that on so many of the banners tonight…!" grinned Phillipe. The Princess returned the grin and they both returned their eyes to the stars and moon. Then, for no reason either of them could name, they found themselves reaching for each other's hands. Both blushing when they did so. Phillipe glanced down into her delicate face, her small hand in his. " …Amitié…" he repeated to himself, touching her cheek with his other hand.  
"…amitié pour toujours…" Aradia sighed as she touched the hand on her face.

* * *

 " Why are we up here…?" Simon asked as Lina led him out onto one of the battlements.  
" I want to show you something…" Lina said quietly.  
" What…the roof?" Simon frowned looking around them. Lina rolled her eyes and took his hand, leading him further along the high, fortified wall. She glanced back over her shoulder at him as she suddenly let go of his hand pushed off the ground, flapping her large wings silently and landing delicately on the roof above him. Leaning over the edge she grinned down at him, pieces of her blonde hair falling into her bright blue eyes.  
" You coming…or what?" she smirked, watching as Simon pouted for a moment.  
" Oh like it's _that_ easy to get up there!" He mumbled, making an attempt to climb up the wall before him. Failing, he looked up at Lina with a faint scowl on his face. " Are you going to help me or not…?"  
" Well as amusing as this could be…" she mused, a wide smile on her face, as she reached down towards him, " If you wanted help…"!" She caught hold of his arm around the wrist and pulled him up and onto the roof with surprising speed. So surprising in fact that the momentum pulled the pair of them over, causing them to collapse back onto the roof. "…All you had to do was ask…" Lina gasped as Simon landed on top of her, winding her slightly. Horror covered his face as he scrambled to move himself.  
" Oh my…are you ok?" He panicked, looking down at her.  
" Yeah…yeah I'm fine…" she sighed looking up into the clear blue eyes above her own. Simon coughed nervously and rolled back onto the roof, the pair of them now laid looking up into the sky. They both sighed at they took in the night sky, stretched out before them.  
" So…what did you bring me up here for…?" Simon asked bluntly after a moment.  
" You mean the view isn't enough…" Lina sighed. Simon glanced over at her and a smile broke onto his face. " Well, the view is pretty spectacular…" he said quietly, grinning as he saw colour flush into her face as noticed his stare. She turned her head to face him, an eyebrow raised.  
" That's not what I meant…" she grinned before sitting up. Simon followed suit, glancing out over the horizon.  
" So why _are_ we out here…and not at the ball…?" Simon repeated, this time gentleness edged his voice. He looked back at the winged warrior sat beside him on the roof, moonlight shone down on them both, sparkling on her wings and seeming to illuminate her eyes. Lina sighed as her gaze shifted from the stars to the horizon, hidden in darkness.  
" In Crystallia, when the full moon reaches it's height, it's beams hit the crystal peaks which give my country it's name, and the light is reflected for miles around. They say you can see it here in Vaniria…" Lina spoke quietly. " I…I wanted to show you it…" A faint smile crossed her face as she glanced at him. He grinned back.  
" Well, you've certainly picked the right spot for it…couldn't think of better seats…" He smiled, looking out to where Lina's gaze had just been fixed.  
" Oh I can…" Lina's smile grew broader and Simon turned back to her, a quizzical look on his face.  
" You can? Well where? It's not like we can get much higher…" Simon started before Lina laughed gently.  
" Well, technically we wouldn't be sitting…but it's a much better view…" Lina raised one of her delicate eyebrows.  
" Sounds good to me…" Simon admitted, standing on the roof. " So where do we go then…for this amazing view…" He reached down and carefully helped Lina to her feet.  
" You sure you want to go…?" Lina asked.  
" Sure…why not…we've come this far after all!" Simon grinned.  
Lina moved behind him and wrapped her arms around him, under his arms and around his chest.  
" Wh-what are you doing…?" Simon glanced back over his shoulder at her.  
" You'll see…" Lina winked before quickly kicking off the roof before Simon could argue. Within seconds they were climbing higher and higher through the air. Simon clutched tightly as Lina's arms around him, his eyes open wide in surprise.  
" Is this safe?!" he yelled against the wind as they climbed.  
" Of course…" Lina laughed, " As long as you hold on!" She grinned before turning their steep climb into a sharp dive. Simon closed his eyes tightly as the ground rushed up to meet them, a silent scream coming from his mouth. He forced one eye open just as Lina swooped along the ground and began to climb once more. Lina laughed happily, " See I told you it was safe!"  
As they soared higher through the clouds, the frightened pounding in Simon's chest gave way to pure exhilaration. Lina swooped through low clouds and circled in the jewelled sky above the castle. The wind whistled past them as they flew through the night air, the stars flashing past them in a blur. Gradually Lina slowed and turned to face Crystallia, hovering gently in the air.  
" Are you alright? I mean…you won't drop me or anything will you…?" Simon asked nervously, as they hung in the air. The ground a long way below.  
" I'm fine…and of course I won't drop you! Well, not on purpose anyway!" Lina laughed as she felt Simon's body tense with fear for a second before he too started laughing. Then, all at once, in the distance there was a tiny flash.  
" Was…was that it…?" Simon sounded more than a little disappointed.  
" Wait…" Lina answered quietly, her own eyes still focused on the dark horizon. Suddenly, light seemed to shine from that corner of the sky. As if a pale blue sun was rising in the middle of the night. Beams of moonlight were projected across the lands. The light poured over the land for what seemed hours until the moon shifted and the light show stopped almost as suddenly as it had started. They hovered in silence, neither one wanting to break the magical atmosphere that had been created.  
" That was amazing…" Simon finally said, his bright eyes sparkling with excitement. " It was so beautiful…" he sighed. " Thank you for sharing it with me…" He glanced round at Lina who smiled back at him. For a moment their blue eyes bored into each others, holding onto each other tightly in the middle of the night sky. " Lina…I…" Simon started, suddenly aware of a feeling in his heart he had never felt before.  
" Hold on tight!" Lina grinned, " This ride isn't over yet!" Lina held him tighter in her arms as she swooped towards the ground once more. Simon yelled with excitement as they flew fast through the night air. Their laughter ringing in the night air.

* * *

A window had been left open and the night air was refreshingly cool as Amos and Jenny slipped out of the ballroom and along one of the corridors. Although they had left the music behind them, they were still dancing in each other's arms. Dancing to a tune that neither could hear but that was playing in their hearts. Jenny smiled as she looked at the young man before her. One of the lilac roses from her hair was now in the buttonhole of Amos' jacket. They danced in silence, both gazing at each other, wanting to say so many things but not wanting to spoil the moment. Eventually, Amos swallowed and sighed.  
" So…what did you think of the ball…?" he asked quietly as they continued to sway in the deserted corridor.  
" It was all so magical…" Jenny smiled sweetly, " The music and the candlelight, the dresses…" She sighed happily. " It was amazing…"  
" You looked really beautiful tonight…" Amos whispered, holding her closer in his arms.  
" Thank you…" Jenny blushed happily as they twirled slowly in the empty corridor.  
" Jenny, I…" Amos started when Mark and Bertrande suddenly fell into the corridor from one of the side doors. His hair looking decidedly ruffled and one of the flowers falling out of her hair. Both looking flushed and suddenly embarrassed upon seeing Amos and Jenny in the corridor.  
" Oh…" Mark finally managed to say as the four stood looking at each other and yet trying to avoid each other's gaze. Bertrande tried to straighten her dress and hair as subtle as she could.  
" Wh-what are you doing out here…?" Jenny tried to sound nonchalant.  
" We…er…well you see…" Mark floundered.  
" It was too warm in the hall…" Bertrande said suddenly, "...All those people…so we stepped out for some fresh air…" she pressed a hand to her flushed cheek for effect. She nodded at Amos and Jenny, " You?"  
" The same…" smiled Jenny after a moment's thought.  
" Yes…too warm in there…" Amos agreed.  
" It is much cooler out here…" Mark muttered, his green eyes darting about nervously. " You two seemed to have the right idea…"  
" Well…why…" Amos swallowed. " Why don't you join us…?" He tried to smile, in order to hide his disappointment.  
" Thank you…" Bertrande said, sounding equally disappointed.  
The two couples took each other's hands and the four friends began to dance in the quiet corridor. Soon the two couples were oblivious to the other one and smiles soon covered their previously disappointed faces. Mark and Bertrande slowly danced with their eyes looking into each other's, telling each other silent things. Amos and Jenny danced closer, her head resting on his chest, his chin on her head.  
" You do know that whatever happens after tomorrow…" Amos whispered, " I will do anything and everything I can to protect you…" Jenny looked up at him.  
" I will do the same for you…" She smiled.  
" You know…" he continued quietly, " It's only right we seal it with a kiss…"  
" And you know…" Jenny swallowed quietly, " A kiss is a terrible thing to waste…"  
" I know…" Amos sighed, as he slowly lowered his head over hers

* * *

" Martin…would you relax…!" Lucy grinned, pushing one her dark curls behind her ear. " It's not like I'm going to hurt you…well, not on purpose at least!" She took a step towards Martin, brandishing a long wooden club. " After all, you're the one who's had all the training and this was _your_ suggestion!!"  
" Yeah…well…" stammered Martin, holding a similar weapon in his hands, " That hasn't stopped you beating me so far!" He pouted slightly. His suggestion that he demonstrate the disarming skills shown to him by Lina had, so far, resulted in his own disarming by Lucy no less than four times. Martin sighed heavily as he prepared to try one last time to disarm Lucy, his confidence diminishing by the minute. The courtyard they were in was all but silent, occasional snatches of laughter and music floating through the air from the Great Hall.  
" Well…" Lucy raised an eyebrow, mischief covering her face. " What are you waiting for…?" Martin rolled his eyes and sighed.  
" Fine…I doubt you'll be the last person to beat me five to nothing…" He shrugged heavily, " Prepare…" Martin sighed. They both adopted the same defensive stance, knees slightly bent, the wooden clubs held tightly in both hands. " And…disarm!" Lucy charged towards Martin, her club raised ready to knock his away when her foot got caught the hem of her gown. She shrieked as her club flew out of her hands and she landed, very ungracefully, in a heap at Martin's feet. He merely grinned and pointed his club at her. " You lose!" he winked as Lucy frowned up at him.  
" That's not fair…you didn't disarm me…!" Lucy pouted.  
" Well you didn't disarm me either…and I, unlike you, still have my weapon…" Martin laughed. " So…I win!" He laughed louder as Lucy's frown grew.  
" No…you didn't win…I just didn't beat you…it's default anyway!" Lucy carefully stood up. " I was at a disadvantage anyway! You've been trained. I haven't! _And_, more importantly, I'm wearing a very unsuitable ball gown!" Martin lowered his club and dropped it onto the floor.  
" Oh stop complaining…" he smiled, a cheeky grin covering his mouth. " You did beat me four to nothing without this last round! And as you rightly pointed out, I've been trained, you haven't! This isn't doing much for my confidence I can tell you…" Martin feigned a hurt look and Lucy found it hard not to smile.  
" Oh well…" Lucy sighed, slipping her hand into his. " At least I know one thing's for certain now…"  
" What's that…?" Martin gently pulled her closer to him.  
" At least we'll be able to protect each other on this stupid quest thing…well…" A wicked sparkle appeared in Lucy's dark eyes. " I'll be able to protect you at any rate…" She grinned as anger briefly flashed in Martin's own dark eyes and was quickly replaced by laughter.  
" We'll see…" he grinned, lowering his head towards hers, " We'll see…" 

* * *

Rosie sighed as she and Marius sat in one of the gardens within the castle walls. The moonlight was shining down, the light sparkling on a fountain in the corner of the garden. The air was full of the scent of the flowers growing around them. Their hands were holding each other's, their eyes bright as they looked at each other.  
" You know…" Rosie said quietly, as if she was afraid even the sound of her voice would shatter the stillness of the garden. " Sometimes I can't quite believe we're here…" she smiled.  
" Me neither…" admitted Marius, reaching up to loosen the necktie that had been irritating him all evening. " It's all so…well…unbelievable!" He grinned, stroking the hand in his absent-mindedly. " I tell you what I else I can't quite believe at times…"  
" What…?" Rosie sighed contentedly.  
" I can't quite believe we're engaged…" he smirked watching happily as an even more contented smile crossed Rosie's lips.  
" I know what you mean…" She smiled gently at him. " Then again…since our engagement things have been a little…eventful!"  
" This is true…" Marius sighed, thinking back over all that had happened since the day he proposed to Rosie in the countryside outside of Artigat. Rosie sighed and looked around at the flowers around them while Marius reached into his jacket pocket. " That's why…" he started quietly, slipping his hand back out of his pocket and edging himself off the bench on which they were sat.   
" Marius? What _are_ you doing?" Rosie raised an eyebrow as Marius lowered himself to the floor and onto one knee. " Haven't we done this once already…?" Rosie sighed as she smiled down at him, her hand still held in his.  
"Yes…and no…" Marius smiled wryly. " But this time…it's a little different…" Rosie could feel her heart starting to pound loudly in her chest. Marius held out his other hand to her, fingers closed around something in his palm. Slowly, one finger at a time he moved his fingers and Rosie let out a small gasp as she saw what he had been holding. In his palm lay a ring, a silver band with a small stone set in the middle. With a gentle smile playing at the corners of his mouth, Marius held the ring just next to Rosie's hand. He took a deep breath and was a little surprised to find his voice trembled slightly. " Rosie…I know, I have already asked you to spend the rest of your life with me…a request to which you agreed," Rosie and Marius both smiled warmly at each other. " But I felt as if something was missing from my last proposal…" Marius swallowed nervously, " So…I'd like to ask you now…if you would do me the honour of wearing this ring…?" Rosie sniffed as a tear of happiness escaped from her eye.  
" Yes…" Rosie smiled, " Yes I will…" Marius could barely keep his hand from shaking as he slipped the ring onto her finger. Raising himself up off his knee, they held each other tightly. Rosie smiled broadly as he held her. They pulled apart for a moment, Marius gently brushing the tears from her cheeks.  
" I will love you forever…" Marius whispered, drawing her chin up towards his face.  
" Not if I love you longer…" Rosie grinned as they kissed and held each other tightly.

* * *

" Come on then…" Jo said happily as Guillaume followed her up the staircase.  
" Shouldn't we be at the ball…?" Guillaume said hesitantly, while Jo gathered her ball gown in her hands so she didn't trip over it on the stairs.  
" You said you wondered what I'd been doing with Mithras all week…you wanted to see some magic…" Jo glanced over her shoulder at him and winked. " So that's what I'm going to show you!"  
" Fine…" Guillaume groaned, trying not to sound excited. " Where's does this stairway go anyway…?" he asked suddenly as he realised he had no idea where they were headed. One minute that had been on the dance floor, he had made an off hand comment about her tutoring with Mithras and the next minute Jo had dragged him from the floor and through a door he hadn't even seen before.  
" You'll see!" Jo laughed as they reached the top of the stairs and came to a large oaken door. Jo reached out and opened it, light coming though into the dark stairwell, and went through. Followed quickly by Guillaume who gasped when he saw where they were. The door had led them into their suite of rooms. He turned back to see that the door was previously hidden by a tapestry hung on the wall. He looked back at Jo who was stood with a mischievous grin on her face.  
" How did you…I mean…?" Guillaume frowned.  
" Well…it's always useful to know where there are secret passages don't you think!" She winked. " Anyway, Lina told me about it…just in case…" Jo shrugged.  
" Well…now that you've got me up here…whatever are you going to do with me…?" Guillaume grinned, dimples appearing on his cheeky face, one dark eyebrow raised. Jo rolled her eyes but she couldn't help but smile. Jo held out her hand,  
" I want to show you something…" She smiled as he took her hand and she led him to her room. It was dark as they entered, only the light from the full moon outside illuminating the room slightly. Jo guided him over to the bed and they sat on the edge. " This is looking promising…" Guillaume grinned, Jo hit him on the arm.  
" Are you going to shut up…?" Jo frowned, trying not to smile. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  
" It's a bit dark in here isn't it…" Guillaume started.  
" Just be quiet…" Jo laid a finger on his lips, " And let me concentrate…" Jo closed her eyes and Guillaume closed his mouth, watching as a thoughtful look covered Jo's face, a slight frown furrowing her forehead. Slowly, Jo's face seemed to relax and Guillaume could almost feel warmth radiating from her. Suddenly he was aware that the room was getting lighter. He noticed that around them were many candlesticks and even though Guillaume knew it wasn't possible, they seemed to be lighting themselves. One by one, the candles in the room lit and soon the whole room was lit by the warm glow of candlelight. Jo let out a quiet sigh as she reopened her eyes to see Guillaume sat before her a look of wonder on his face. " Impressed…?"  
" Very…" Guillaume nodded, a huge grin on his face.  
" And there's more…" Jo smirked as she waved her hand and one of the candles lifted from its place in a candlestick and floated over to them both. Guillaume amazed face became even more so as the candle appeared to float before him. " Take it…" Jo urged, " Don't be afraid…" Guillaume nervously reached out and took hold of the candle. " Now then…" Jo continued. " I want you to think of a colour…any colour you like…" Jo grinned as she closed her eyes once more. Guillaume raised a sceptical eyebrow and tried to think of a colour, he filled his mind with images of the green meadows surrounding Artigat. Suddenly he noticed that the candle in his hands was now burning with a green flame. He gasped and Jo giggled. " Try another one…" She said, without opening her eyes. Guillaume this time thought of the summer sky, light blue and calming. Glancing down he saw a blue flame was now atop the candle in his hands. " Now then…" Jo took a deep breath, " I want you to think of one last colour…" Guillaume let a mischievous grin cover his mouth as he filled his mind with an image. Jo frowned and let out a sigh of exasperation. " Guillaume…I said colour…not the whole rainbow!" Guillaume was about to laugh when he saw the candles around them changing. In a matter of moments the room was awash with a myriad of colours from the now multicoloured flames around the room. Guillaume stared around open mouthed, unable to find the words. The walls now bathed in red, green, blue, orange, yellow and purple hues. He glanced back at Jo and frowned as he saw she was rubbing her head, her cheeks a little pale.  
" Are you ok…?" He asked gently, blowing out the candle and putting it on the floor.  
" I'm fine…" Jo smile, moving her hand away. " My head hurts after I've done bigger spells like that one…it'll stop when my heads healed I'm sure…" Jo tried to put his fears to rest, placing her hand in his. " I am, as Mithras keeps reminding me, still recovering from a major head injury…"  
" This is amazing…" he said gently, running a hand through the curls around her face as his eyes fell on the magical sight around them.  
" Thank you…" she sighed, leaning her head against his hand.  
" I love you…you know," Guillaume whispered, brushing his lips against hers.  
"You know…I don't mind you either…" Jo whispered back, leaning forwards to kiss him and for a few moments, it felt as if there was nothing in the world but the two of them.  
Jo sighed happily as Guillaume held her tightly in his strong arms and they looked out of her window and over the moonlit lands before them. No one knew for sure what lay ahead of them, what they would have to face or what they might lose along the way; but none of that mattered to any of the friends. Their adventure wouldn't begin until dawn and, for now at least, the moon ruled the sky and all cares and fears would wait until the sunrise. 


	16. PART 52

The chilling wind was closer this time. Closer than it had been before. Almost like a second skin. A skin that was too tight. A skin that was suffocating her. And once again, a voice hung on the air. It's words indiscernible but it's tone unmistakable. She could hear her name, that much was clear. The wind drew ever nearer; her feet were rooted to the spot, which meant she couldn't run even if she wanted to. The darkness was closing in on her and all she could do was wait for it to smother her. A silent scream came from her mouth as she felt the cold wind against her face and tried to force herself awake. The voice suddenly grew louder, practically breathing in her ear. She could sense she was not alone in the blackness. The wind died down and the voice all at once became clear. It's words whispered into her ear. A chilling message that she did not want to hear. With a cry Jo fought her way out of her dream and awoke in her room, a cold sweat broke out across her forehead as the words of the message ran over and over in her head.

_" Should this quest be undertaken,  
Vaniria and Aesina shall be forsaken.  
Let crystals be forgotten by all,  
If they are sought goodness will fall."_

Jo sat up in bed, struggling to catch her breath. This was the second nightmare she had had, the same cold wind and the same sinister voice. Glancing across to the window she could see that it was still dark, although the moon had started it's decent towards the horizon. Finally regaining control over her breathing Jo forced herself to think about what she had just experienced, reciting the words under her breath trying to understand them. It was a threat, however she looked at it, it didn't bode well. But from who? Whose was the voice that echoed in these nightmares? Jo shuddered suddenly, as if trying to shake off the doubts within her. It was a nightmare, nothing more. The words she had heard were her own worries, the thoughts that had been playing on her mind ever since they had been told of the quest.  
" Just a nightmare…" she sighed, laying back down. " Paranoia at worst…" But no matter how confident her voice sounded in the silence of her bedchamber, she was still wary of closing her eyes and returning to sleep. Instead she lay, looking out of the window watching the moon as it sank in the gradually lightening sky. The dawn was coming. The dawn that would herald the start of a whole new adventure.

* * *

" Jo, are you alright? You look a little pale…" Lucy's gaze was concerned as she passed her friend the tray of bread rolls over the breakfast table.  
" Yeah, yeah I'm fine…" Jo smiled, stifling a yawn. " Didn't get a lot of sleep that's all…"  
" Oh yeah…" grinned Rosie as she spotted Guillaume trying to hide a yawn himself. Jo rolled her eyes, realising Rosie's assumption.  
" And no…it wasn't because of Guillaume or anyone else…" Jo smirked, watching as Guillaume choked on a mouthful of bread and turned bright red. Although she wasn't sure whether his reddened face was because of the lack of oxygen or due to embarrassment. " Bad dreams that's all…" Jo added quietly.  
" Aren't you a little old for nightmares…?" Phillipe's tone was jovial but his eyes were serious. Serious and worried.  
" I guess I've just been thinking about this whole quest thing too much…" Jo shrugged, taking a sip of water. A smile covered her face as she looked up at the friends surrounding the table. " Although last night helped take those worries away a bit…" Similar smiles covered everyone's faces as they each remembered the Ball. Rosie subconsciously twisted the ring now on her left hand, a shy smile covering her face as her eyes caught Marius' across the table. Simon winked at Lina as he recalled their nighttime flight to watch the moon rise. Mark held Bertrande's hand under the table while Amos and Jenny smiled at each other as their kiss in a deserted corridor returned to them. Guillaume looked over at Jo, his dark eyes sparkling as they met hers, his mind filled with the image of multicoloured flames lighting up them both.  
" Where's Aradia this morning…?" Mark frowned noticing the Princess hadn't joined them for breakfast.  
" She's eating breakfast with her Aunt and Uncle this morning…" Phillipe glanced up at the others while he spoke quietly, thinking to himself about the previous evening and his moments alone with the princess on a balcony, looking at the stars.  
" Can I just ask…?" Simon suddenly said, his voice uncharacteristically nervous. " Is anyone else here scared…?!" A moment passed, in which all the friends exchanged thoughtful glances. Wondering who would be the first to admit their true feelings.  
" Pretty much all of us…I think!" Jenny tried to hide her trembling voice with a smile.  
" We'll be fine…won't we?" Martin swallowed.  
" Yeah….fine…of course we will…" Amos nodded. " Right?" He added, less than confidently.  
" Oh come on you lot…" Lina groaned, standing up. Her bright blue eyes scanned all their faces. " How can you not be excited about this? You…we're…we're all about to start the most amazing adventure of our lives…"  
" That's very easy for you to say…but Lina…you're a warrior…we're…well we're not!" Guillaume also sounded less than his usual confident self. He, along with all of the other friends, was surprised to find that Lina remained quiet. No stirring 'come back' came from the winged warrior at the other end of the table. Instead she merely looked at him, pleadingly almost, and it was then Guillaume realised that she too was having doubts about their 'amazing adventure'.  
" We may not be warriors…" Jo said quietly, looking up at them all. " We may not all be royalty…or even witches…" she added with a smile. " But we are all friends and I believe that our friendship is stronger than any evil we will encounter and I know…don't ask me how…" Jo shrugged, " But I just know it will last far longer than any of us thinks…"  
" It will last like the stars themselves…" Phillipe said suddenly, causing the friends to shift their gaze from Jo to the former police inspector, whose pale green eyes looked up at them all.  
" That's very…poetic Phillipe…" Jo smiled.  
" Well, last night Aradia and I, we were…" A smile crossed his face, making his pale eyes shine. " …Well we were looking at the stars last night and she told me about a constellation that's been named after us…"  
" Us?!" came the surprised response from those sat around the table. Phillipe rolled his eyes.  
" Yes…us! A group of twelve stars which was once called 'L'étoile des étrangers'…"  
" The star of the strangers…" murmured Bertrande.  
"…but which is now called 'L'étoile de l'amitie'…" continued Phillipe.  
" The star of friendship…" sighed Rosie.  
" Friendship…" Jo repeated a smile now covering her face and the faces of those around her.  
" Well…" Marius said suddenly, pushing his chair away from the table and standing up, "…seeing as how we haven't got much else to do…" Marius glanced at the others, an eyebrow raised. " Hadn't we better get ourselves down in the hall to see their majesties…? After all…we _do_ have a quest to get on with…don't' we?!" 

* * *

The twelve friends, along with Lina and Aradia stood before King Marduk and Queen Eos. Having already been presented with a sword by Lina they stood anxiously waiting to see what else was to be bestowed upon them.  
" By way of a small gift…We have for each of you a seal…" Marduk announced, waving to one of the doormen who opened the large wooden door to reveal a group of servants. The servants entered the hall carrying small boxes.  
" They must be pretty small seals…" muttered Mark to Rosie who merely nodded and frowned.  
" Yeah…so…?" She mumbled back.  
" Nothing…I guess I just thought they'd be bigger that's all…" Mark shrugged.  
" What are you to whispering about…?" Jo hissed as the servants got closer.  
" I was just saying how small the seals are…" Mark said under his breath. " I mean, really small…I didn't think even baby seals were that small…"  
" Baby seals…?!" Jo frowned and then realisation hit. " You berk!" Jo shouted, forgetting to keep her voice low. " Not seals the animals…seals as in stamps…crests…shields!!" Aware that the servants had halted their previously graceful procession to stare at her, as had Marduk, Eos and everyone else in the hall, Jo blushed and tried to regain her composure.  
The servants approached each of the friends and presented them with a small box. As they opened them, they saw that inside on a bed of red satin lay a golden badge or brooch. It was a circle marked with the twelve stars of the 'L'étoile des étrangers'.  
" Should you need them, you will only have to present these seals to be recognised as envoys of Vaniria…" Marduk said proudly as the friends too the seals in the hands and attached them to their tunics or onto their cloaks.  
" We also have some cloaks for you all…" Eos smiled warmly, waving more servants to enter the hall and approach the friends, each being presented with a cloak, which they quickly put on. " They have made by the best seamstresses in Vaniria and they have been made from a very special material that will keep you warm in the coldest weather…it will not burn…and it is so strong that it will never…" Eos allowed herself a slight smirk. "…it _should_ never tear…" The cloaks had been made to fit each of them specifically, reaching to the floor and a generous hood resting on their backs. Each of their cloaks was lined in a different colour. Rosie's lining was made from dark blue satin and Lucy's was lined in dark red. Jo's was lined with a deep purple material while Jenny's had been lined with lilac coloured satin. The lining on Lina's cloak was silver in colour and Bertrande's was lined with satin that was the colour of rust.  
" They're…they're the same colours as our gowns were last night…" Aradia sighed, gently stroking the dark green satin of her cloak's lining.  
" I…I wasn't wearing a gown!" Guillaume grinned as the golden lining of his cloak shone as he moved it.  
" No you weren't…" Jo grinned back, " But you _were_ wearing a gold waistcoat as I recall…!"  
" Well I wasn't wearing an orange waistcoat…" Martin flipped one side of his cloak back over his shoulder to reveal the warm orange lining of his. " Or gown…!" He added, his young face breaking out into a cheeky smile.  
" No you weren't…" Eos smiled gently, " But the orange represents the flames you stood up against in Artigat. The fires of hatred against you…and the flames that threatened Jo's life when they discovered her religion…" Martin flushed happily and smiled back at the Queen.  
" Well I sure don't know why mine's white on the inside…" Amos admitted, beaming a wide toothy smile at them all, " …but I do like it! I'll soon dirty it up I don't much doubt but I like it all the same!"  
" I wouldn't say I disliked mine either, but yellow…?" Mark's dark brows raised questioningly above his green eyes.  
" Well…" Eos took a deep breath, as if she was preparing to tell a very long and very involved story. " Guillaume's cloak was lined with gold, Martin's was already orange and yellow was the closest we could find to gold…"  
" Okay…" Mark nodded with an even more confused look on his face.  
" You see…" The Queen continued. " It was you who realized what the 'golden cloud' of Jesus' dream was, that it was in fact a gyratory…the gyratory that would bring you here…"  
" Aah…" Mark smiled, his face now wearing a look of contentment. And a little pride.  
" I have to say I do like mine," Simon beamed as he span around on the spot watching as the cloak fanned out around him, causing the air to fill with black with the occasional flash of sky blue as the lining showed through. He stopped spinning and was confused to find that the hall was still moving. He shook his head as he tried to regain control over his vision. " But why's it blue? N-n-not that I'm complaining!" He added quickly, still wobbling a little as the dizziness subsided.  
" Well that was the colour of your clothing when you arrived here, the colour of your…what would you call it…army uniform…?" Eos explained.  
" Well that makes sense…" Marius nodded as he stood admiring the blood red lining of his cloak. " But why's mine red…?"  
" Or mine black for that matter…" Phillipe asked before frowning slightly as Jo stifled a giggle. " What?"  
" Nothing…" she smirked.  
" Well it must mean something to you…" Marius' gentle brow also formed a very slight frown.  
" Well if you must know…" Jo cleared her throat before launching into song. " Red, the blood of angry men. Black, the dark of ages past. Red, a world about to dawn. Black…"  
" The night that ends at last!" finished Rosie, Mark, Jenny and Lucy as they joined in with Jo before they all fell about laughing. Wiping her eyes, Rosie tried to regain her composure and gently squeezed Marius' arm.  
" Don't worry, it's nothing bad…" she smiled. " They're lyrics from…" Marius held up a hand to stop her.  
" Let me guess…Les Mis?" He grinned and the hall was filled with laughter from them all.

* * *

There was a confident knocking on the large wooden door before it was opened. " You wanted to see me…?" Jo's head appeared around the side of the door, a curious smile on her face.  
" Yes…yes I did…" Mithras' grey eyes shone as he waved her into his room. Jo came through the doorway and into his small tower room, glancing over the piles of books on his desk with a kind of fondness as she thought back over the hours she had spent poring over the scrolls and texts. Reading of magic skills she had had to master and spells she had had to memorise.  
" Why didn't you come down to the hall before…?" Jo asked, idly letting her fingers slip back and forth through the flame of a candle on the desk.  
" Well…I didn't really think I was needed for the whole 'cloak' giving ceremony! You look good in yours by the way…very witchy…" Mithras grinned as Jo pulled the hood over her head casting her face into shadow, her green eyes sparkling in spite of the darkness.  
" _Very_ witchy…!" Jo winked before attempting to cackle in an evil manner. Sounding more like a chicken caught in a blender she stopped and shrugged. " Guess I'm not cut out to be a _wicked_ witch…" Laughing she pushed it back off her head and onto her shoulders.  
" I guess not…" Mithras smiled, " Plus what I wanted to see you for…I…well…" He stammered as he pulled out a drawer in his desk and took out a small black box. With a shy smile he handed Jo the box. " It's a present…" he said quietly as Jo held the box carefully in her hands. " Go on, open it…" his voice held a kind of nervous excitement.  
" You didn't have to do this…" Jo carefully opened the box and tipped the contents into her palm. In her hand lay a delicate gold chain, threaded with what looked like beads. Deep golden brown in colour with veins of darker brown and black running through them. " It's beautiful…" Jo sighed looking at the necklace.  
" It's…well they're…" Mithras started.  
" Tiger's eye…" Jo finished, picking up one of the beads of stone in her fingers. Mithras smiled,  
" Yes…it's Tiger's eye…" Mithras continued. " Tiger's eye for…"  
" Protection…" Jo grinned at him, " You've taught me well Mithras…" He merely nodded and gently took the necklace from her hand.  
" You've been a good pupil," he smirked. " There's nothing left to teach you…what you don't already know I have no doubt you'll discover on your own!" A slight tinge of sadness entered his eyes. " Anyway…" he shrugged, " This is more for good luck than anything…plus…" His pale grey eyes looked deep into hers for a moment. " I want you to have it…I feel better knowing you have it…" Jo frowned slightly as his eyes seemed to mist slightly, she reached out and touched his hand.  
" We'll be fine Mithras, we'll all look after each other…" Jo's green eyes twinkled mischievously, " No doubt the others will spend most of their time trying to keep me out of trouble!" Jo was relieved to see her young tutor smile, " But we'll be back here before you know it…all of us…" " I'm sure you will…" Mithras smiled as he reached up to put the necklace around her neck but Jo stopped him and took the chain back. She gently slipped one of the beads from the necklace and held it tightly in her hand, as she pulled a cord from the edge of her cloak. Mithras let out a small gasp as he watched her rip the material, Jo rolled her eyes.  
" Well it was only going to be a matter of time before I…well, broke it wasn't it!" Jo grinned. " Plus I figure this thread stuff is fairly strong…" She threaded the bead onto the cord and knotted it. " So this bead shouldn't come off here too easily…" Reaching up she tied it carefully around Mithras' throat. " I'll feel better knowing you have one with you too…" Jo smiled as she then placed the gold chain around her neck. " Thank you for everything Mithras…" Jo suddenly found her throat was dry and her voice a little quiet, the familiar pricking of tears behind her eyes. " Goodbye Mithras…" Impulsively Jo hugged him tightly before turning and heading out of the door and back down the winding staircase without looking back. Alone in the room, Mithras wiped at a tear that had leaked out of his eye as he sat down and sighed. " I almost forgot…" Mithras looked up to see that Jo had reappeared in the doorway. She came back into the room and stood before him. " That was not the proper goodbye…" Jo smiled. Mithras slowly stood back up and looked into her eyes. " Merry meet…" She said the pagan farewell with a twinkle in her eye.  
" Merry part…" he smiled.  
" And merry meet again…" they said together before hugging each other once more. " Goodbye Jo…" He smiled as she turned and disappeared through the door once more.

* * *

As the group appeared in the entrance to the square they could see it had been filled completely by those who lived in Vaniria. As it had been when they had first arrived in this strange and beautiful walled city, a short week had passed full of magic and wonder. But even now there seemed to still be people appearing in the market square. Some climbing trees to get a better view, others were leaning precariously out of windows. One family had even managed to climb out onto the roof of their house, where they all sat motionless, their eyes fixed on the 'Strangers' in the doorway. The 'Strangers', now wearing their cloaks and each with a bead of tiger's eye around their necks, carefully strung onto a thread from Jo's cloak, stood looking back out over the sea of faces before them.  
" Well…" Jo said quietly, "…this is it. If you don't want to go…I guess this is your last chance to say so…" she glanced at the nervous friends around her. " I know _I_ won't think any less of you for not wanting to go…" She tailed off as her eyes met those of Guillaume.  
" If you think we're going to let you have this adventure all to yourself then you've got another thing coming…" His brown eyes sparkling as he winked and took her hand in his. Smiles slowly crept onto the faces of the friends, mingled with nervous excitement. After a moment,  
" So…do we just walk out of here or what?" Simon's dazzlingly blue eyes seemed even brighter then usual, he stepped from foot to foot, almost full to bursting with nervous energy. He reminded Jo of a sprinter warming up before the race to win gold.  
" I guess we just start walking when we're ready…" Jo glanced at Lina for confirmation who merely shrugged her reply.  
" To be honest…I haven't got a clue…" The confused look on the young warrior's face was almost comical.  
" It's a little unlike you Jo to be worrying about breaking social etiquette or protocol or whatever it is!" Marius smirked. Jo merely rolled her eyes, but even that couldn't disguise the familiar twinkle that had appeared in them.  
" Let's just say I wouldn't mind starting _this_ particular journey on the right foot for a change!"  
" If we're ready…" Aradia suddenly spoke up from her place next to Phillipe, " …we can leave when we want to, no waiting on ceremony for this!" She grinned at Jo who smiled back and took a deep breath.  
" Well then…" Jo's face broke out into an even wider grin and the twinkle in her green eyes became even more obvious. "…What are we waiting for then?!" With that Jo squared her shoulders, turned to face the crowded square once more and stepped down onto the first step leading down into the masses below. Almost as soon as her booted foot touched the stone of the step the crowds broke out into triumphant cheering. Jo glanced back over her shoulder at the others and winked before continuing slowly but purposefully down the steps. She was immediately followed by the others, making three lines as they came down after her. IN the first row was Rosie, Lucy, Mark and Jenny, followed by Marius, Phillipe, Martin, Bertrande and Guillaume with Amos, Simon, Lina and Aradia at the rear. Looking like a small but determined group of soldiers being led by their equally determined captain, the friends reached the bottom of the steps and the people parted to let them through. The cheering and shouting rang in the air, echoing off of the stone walls around them. Shouts of 'Good Luck' and other words of encouragement were yelled as the group walked through the square. A breeze passed among the group, billowing their cloaks like sails, causing a rainbow to flare up behind them as their linings caught the sunlight. Jo shivered subconsciously as she remembered the swirling, pulling wind in her dreams, before pushing those thoughts away. This was not a cold fierce wind, but a gentle, warming breeze. That was only a dream, this was real.  
As they reached the huge wooden gates, they turned back to face the crowds and waved farewell. Aradia's eyes stole above the crowds and to a balcony in the castle where King Marduk and Queen Eos were stood, waving down at them. Tears pricked her eyes as she waved goodbye, she was leaving the only home she had ever known to fight for the kingdom, the people and the home she had never known. Jo's eyes were also raised above the hoards of Vanirians before her, they were fixed on a tiny window in one of the castle many towers, out of which was hanging Mithras. He was waving madly and she waved back with equal ferocity. Then the friends about turned once more, facing the now open gates, through which mile after mile of green grass and fields stretched out before them. They all took a deep breath, linked arms and made they way through the gateway, taking their very first steps on what they all felt was going to be a very long adventure.


	17. PART 53

Soon Vaniria's castle and walled city were becoming smaller and smaller on the horizon and out in front of the friends stretched mile after mile of green land. Occasionally rolling with a slight hill or sometimes broken by a stream. The sun was warm and the friends walked, their faces into the light smiling. Jo sighed happily.  
" This is wonderful…" A wide smile covered her face. " And it's so nice to be out of the castle!" Jo laughed.  
" You're telling me!" Aradia pushed some of her auburn hair behind an ear. " I haven't been out of that walled city…since…" Her voice trailed off quietly and her lilac eyes sparkled for a moment with tears. It was truly her first trip into the outside world since she had been a child. The last time Aradia had been out of the castle and city had been when she had first arrived their, fleeing from her kingdom and her homeland. She swallowed the lump that had risen painfully in her throat and smiled at the fairly concerned faces around her. " Well…it's certainly a glorious day to get out huh?"  
" It is!" Marius grinned as they continued on their way.  
" This scenery is amazing…" Bertrande's face was full of amazement as she looked around at the countryside surrounding them.  
" I certainly don't remember it being this beautiful when we got here…" Simon's bright blue eyes seemed to be darting everywhere, taking in every detail of what was around them.  
" That's because when we got here…" Mark's green eyes narrowed slightly, with his voice lower in the hope that not everyone would hear him. " We were slightly…preoccupied with…_something_ else…" He nodded his head at Jo, who was walking along with Guillaume, seemingly oblivious to their conversation, and Simon's smile faded quickly. Their arrival into this strange world and their journey to Vaniria had not been a happy one. Jo had been wounded, seriously wounded, back in Jerusalem and she had needed help.  
" Oh yeah…" Simon mumbled quietly, his face flushed slightly with embarrassment.  
The friends journeyed on over the fields of lush green grass, Phillipe brandishing a map tightly in his hands. The map, they had been told, was drawn many, many years ago by the last Wise One to live in Vaniria. On it were marked various geographical features although not all of them looked all that familiar to the friends. ("A Blue Wood?!" Jo had exclaimed with a laugh. " Trust me…it's there!" Lucy had smiled back). The map also showed the last known locations of the crystals that they were to find. Each was marked by a faint blue star on the map, a six-pointed star. It was this last Wise One, known only as Alvejan the Wise, that they were journeying to see for he knew more about the legend surrounding the crystals than anyone else as he had been there when the crystal had been broken. It was rumoured he had gone into the Blue Wood to live out the rest of his days, but by all accounts that had been some years before when he was already a very old man. The friend's were sceptical to say the least about the chances of him being alive but there was a faint blue star on the map in the Blue Woods so one way or another they would get something out of this trip. After an hour or so of walking, they noticed that something lay ahead of them. On the horizon before them they could see a dark mass, as they drew nearer it became obvious that it was a dark blue mass. And as they got closer still it became very obvious that it was a large wood, a wood of blue trees. Jo shook her head in disbelief, as they stood on the very edge of the wood. The blue trees towering above them.  
" They really are blue…aren't they…?" She gazed up into the canopy of purple and pinks leaves that grew from the tops of the blue barked tress before her.  
" Do we have to go through it…?" Lucy shuddered recalling their first walk through the trees. " I mean, can't we go around it and find a short cut or something…" Lina sighed heavily.  
" This is the quickest way to Alvejan's house…and the star marked on the map…" She wrapped her cloak closer around her. " Now remember, as I'm sure you do already, little sunlight comes through these leaves and it will seem very cool in there compared to out here…"  
" It's looks pretty dark too…" Amos muttered as he pulled his own white lined cloak closer to him. " Do we have any torches or anything…?"  
" We do…" Martin grinned, putting his pack on the ground and pulling out several torches, made of what looked like straw. " Now all we need is some flint to light them…" The others fumbled in their pockets and packs for some flint.  
" Don't suppose anyone has a lighter on them…?" Jenny smirked as the search for the flint didn't seem to be getting anywhere.  
" Oh wait…" Jo suddenly smiled, walking over to where Martin was. " Hold one out…further out…at arms length…" Martin did as instructed with a slightly worried look on his face.  
" Wh-what are you going to do…?" He swallowed nervously. Guillaume was the only one of the group who didn't look slightly concerned.  
" Trust her…" He said quietly as he watched Jo close her eyes as she had done in her room on the night of the ball. " Just watch…" The friends held their breath as Jo's face frowned slightly and look of concentration covered her face. Suddenly there was a very bright spark and the end of the torch burst into flames. A small cheer came fro the friends as they lit the other torches from it.  
" Who needs flint when we've got you eh?" Simon grinned, now holding one of the flaming torches.  
" Wow…" Rosie smiled as Marius took a torch and stood next to her. " Very impressive I must say!"  
" Thank you…!" Jo winked as she also took a torch and lit it from the one in Martin's hand. After all the torches had been lit the friends stood, preparing themselves to enter the gloom and trees in front of them. " Well…" Jo shrugged, " We can't stand here all day can we…?" With that she took a step into the trees quickly followed by the others. Lina had been right, it was considerably cooler amongst the blue trunks. The friends wrapped their cloaks around themselves and pulled up their hoods.  
The going was surprisingly easy, very little brush grew near to the ground as there simply wasn't any light there to sustain any plant life. There was little conversation either. Phillipe and Jo were at the front of the group, looking at the map and trying to find out someway of navigating through the wood. Simon and Lina brought up the rear, her bow in her hands ready. Just in case. As they walked deeper into the wood, the light behind them grew dimmer and dimmer until they could no longer see the edge of the wood behind them when they looked over their shoulders. They could only see as far as their torches illuminated, which wasn't far at all. A noise in a bush close to them made them all jump before a creature (that looked like a green squirrel to the friends) shot out, dashed past their and into some other bushes on the other side of them. Nervous laughter filled the air.  
" If that's all that's in these trees…" Phillipe joked. " Then we've got nothing to worry about…" With that a sudden breeze blew out the torches and Aradia stifled a scream. Jo quickly relit hers and looked around, her eyes wide.  
" Thanks for that Phillipe…" she muttered as her other hand went to the sword hanging by her side. The others came over to relight their torches from hers, all of which were held with shaking hands. Suddenly a noise pierced the silence of the wood.  
" D-did you hear that…?" Bertrande whispered.  
" Hear what…?" Jo tried to sound frustrated, as if she had no idea what Bertrande was talking about, but still her voice sounded uneasy.  
" It sounded like someone…something…behind us…" Lucy swallowed audibly. It was true, the noise had sounded like the crack of a twig being broken underfoot. In silence the friends reached for various swords and daggers on their person, all facing back the way they had come from. Another crack broke the air, this time no one jumped. Then another, followed by the sound of leaves brushing against something. Whatever, or whoever, it was, they were getting closer. Another twig broke a few feet away from them and the friends held their breath. Jo squinted as she tried to see into the bloom beyond the area of light their torches created. Moving her torch two eyes were illuminated before them. Then everybody screamed.  
" On my god!" shrieked Jenny as the eyes, now lit up by all their torches, moved closer.  
" Wait a minute…" Lina's voice was suddenly calm, even though her breathing was still erratic. " I know those eyes…" She frowned as the two large golden eyes drew nearer and their owner entered their illuminated patch of ground. The creature was covered in orange fur with black stripes covering its body.  
" Billabong!" groaned the friends, all fear gone from their voices.  
" I should have known…" Lina rolled her eyes as she slung her bow back over her shoulder. " You wouldn't stay behind!"  
" That bleedin' regit!" Marius groaned, re-sheathing his sword.  
" You scared us you great big carpet!" Simon frowned as the regit tried to rub against his leg.  
" Well it looks like we have another member to our group!" Rosie smirked, putting her dagger back into her belt. After they had all put their weapons back, and after everyone had scratched Billabong behind his ears, the friends turned around to continue on their way. However, it appeared they weren't going anywhere. The friends found themselves face to face with about twenty men, all with swords or crossbows, aimed at them.  
" Somehow…" Jo said quietly, " I don't think _they're_ here to join us…"  
The friends could hear movement behind the row of armed men before them, the men then parted to reveal a young man. His face still in shadow but the friends could see a sword by his side and a bow and quiver on his back. As the young man stepped forwards his face was lit up by the torches carried by the men and the friends.  
" Wh-who is that…?" Phillipe mumbled, reaching for his sword.  
" I don't know…" Jo swallowed, staring at the young man before her. " But I think it's safe to say…we're in trouble...!"


	18. PART 54

The eyes before her were inquisitive to say the least. Their intelligent gleam reminded her of Mithras for a second. Only these bright, clever looking eyes weren't grey, they were green like hers. Even though now words had yet been spoken, his eyes not only seemed to have asked a thousand questions but Jo felt as if he had also worked out the answers. His dark eyebrows seemed to be permanently fixed in an expression of enquiry, one slightly raised above the other. Although his face was serious in expression, it was youthful in appearance. His face reminded her momentarily of a childhood trip to Kensington Gardens in London with her mother, and the statue of Peter Pan that they had seen there. Jo didn't doubt for a second that no matter how old he got, his almost elfin features wouldn't change that much. An almost eternally youthful face, like J.M.Barrie's hero had had. His hair, dark brown in colour, was short and had a ruffled, spikey look to it. Although it was nowhere near as well ordered and sharp as Simon's carefully created spears. But what concerned Jo the most was that despite his surprise appearance and his obvious weapons, as well as those belonging to the other men who surrounded them, Jo wasn't afraid of him. She was curious of him, without a doubt, but not afraid. Suddenly he made a lowering gesture with his hand, his eyes not leaving Jo's for the briefest instant.  
" What's he doing…?" Rosie's frightened whisper broke into Jo's ear, interrupting her silent evaluation on the man before them.  
" Do you think he wants us to sit down?" Lucy suggested.  
" Drop you weapons…" Jo mumbled, unable to determine whether she's figured out his mime for herself or whether he had told her…somehow.  
" What?!" Guillaume frowned darkly.  
" We're outnumbered…" Jo continued as she slowly unbuckled the belt and sword around her waist. " Best go along with what he wants…" Dropping her sword to the floor she saw an almost satisfied look cross his face as he kept motioning for the others to do the same.  
" What he wants?!" Guillaume spat, " He hasn't even said anything yet!"  
" Jo…I don't know if this is such a good idea…" Lina whispered, her blue eyes flitting around the men surrounding them, trying to figure out some way of successfully fighting them all. Billabong stood growling quietly by her side, his heckles up making his fur stand on end on his shoulders and his lips back to reveal razor sharp teeth.  
" Do it!" Jo was amazed at the tone of her voice. Almost like an army General barking orders to their troops. "…please…" she added gently, "…I really don't think we have much choice…" The air was filled with the sound of weapons being thrown to the floor. Lina tossed her bow and quiver to the ground and bent down to unbuckle the sheath and dagger from around her lower leg and ankle. Standing upright again she slipped the dagger out of it's sheath, dropping the leather casing by her feet, and quickly twirling the blade through her fingers before launching the dagger at the young man before them. He barely batted an eyelid as it shot past the side of his head, less then an inch from his skin, and embedded itself in a tree trunk behind him. The other men weren't so calm in their response to Lina's rather childish and petulant act. They seemed to almost charge at the friends before stopping a few short feet away from them, their weapons now not only visible but also aimed at them.  
" Good move Lina…!" grumbled Amos as he found himself face to face with the tip of a broadsword. The young man then made his move, stepping forward towards Jo with an almost thoughtful look on his face. Drawing near, he slowly removed his own sword from it's sheath and with what now looked like regret on his face he raised it so that the point was less then an inch fro Jo's throat. She swallowed and said firmly.  
" The next time I ask you to drop your weapons…I want you to drop your weapons…not _throw_ them!" At this statement the young man seemed almost to smile to himself before letting the same thoughtful expression from before return to his face. He then waved his hand, palm upwards, gesturing as you would to a guest when asking them to take a seat.  
" I think **now** he wants us to sit down…" Jenny said slowly sitting down on the grass and leaves that littered the wood's floor, quickly followed by the others. Jo was the last to sit, the young man's sword trained on her throat the entire time. The stocky man who had previously been holding a broadsword at Amos' moved around and proceeded to whisper something to him. Although the friends strained their ears to hear what was said, they could make out nothing of the whispered conversation. However, Guillaume _did_ notice that every so often the eyes of the two men would focus on Jo and then their conversation would become even more serious. Guillaume's dark brows knitted together over his brooding eyes and he reached out to take Jo's hand, which lay on the ground next to her. Smiling, Jo looked over at him.  
" I don't like this…" he whispered, his eyes flitting between the whispering man and her face.  
" I know…" she whispered back with a shrug, " Neither do I…!" She then glanced around at the others sat around her, giving them what she hoped was a cheerful smile and receiving winks and smiles in return. Rather forced smiles in all honesty as nothing could really hide the concern shining in everyone's eyes, but smiles nonetheless. Jo sighed heavily, it was their first day of their quest and already they were in deep trouble.  
" Hey!" Guillaume suddenly shouted at the whispering men who merely looked at him and continued in their conversation. " Hey! What do you want with us…?"  
" I don't think he speaks English," muttered Mark.  
" I don't think he speaks!" Martin smirked as the stocky man moved to one side. Then, almost as if to prove them wrong, on one count at least, the young man spoke.  
" Nor zara zu?" One of his dark eyebrows rose even higher as the friends exchanged looks of the confused kind.  
" What…?!" Amos frowned.  
" Was that French…?" Simon suggested.  
" No!" came the definite answer from Phillipe, Marius, Martin, Guillaume, Bertrande, Jo, Rosie and Aradia.  
" Oh…" Simon mumbled.  
" Well what was it then…?" Jenny swallowed nervously.  
" Could be any of a number of languages…" Lina admitted.  
" Nor…zara…zu…?" The youth repeated slowly and purposefully using the tone one would use with a small child or a very elderly relative whose hearing and mind were failing.  
" We heard you we just don't understand you!" Jo answered in a similar tone, although her voice was edged with annoyance, his was edged with amusement.  
" It doesn't even _sound_ familiar…" Rosie frowned deeply as she repeated his words to herself.  
" Nor zara zu?" he asked again.  
" Oh…nor zara zu yourself!" Jo said pointedly, fully aware she had no idea what she was saying.  
" Glyndwr…" answered the youth, a twinkle returning to his eyes. "….baina…zu…nor zara zu?" he continued.  
" Well that helped us didn't it…!" scoffed Aradia.  
" …zu…" mumbled Lucy. " You don't suppose 'zu' means you…do you?"  
" There's a chance…" Phillipe admitted, his own face thoughtful.  
" So, he was asking you something…" Lina pondered. " Something about you…"  
" Of course he was asking her something…" frustration rang in Aradia's voice. " He was talking to her wasn't he?!"  
" Well I don't hear you making any more constructive suggestions…" Marius snapped with uncharacteristic venom in his voice as he added, "…So shut it!"  
Jo grinned to herself and struggled not to laugh outright as Aradia pouted and let out an annoyed huff. It was then Jo noticed a slight smirk on the youth's face. Even if he hadn't understood Marius' words, her had understood his tone and the gist of the conversation.  
" Who _are_ you?" Jo asked her green eyes pleading with his for some kind of clue. The youth's smirk broadened into a smile as he gestured at himself.  
" Glyndwr…" he said before smiling even wider and gesturing to Jo.  
" You're…you're called Glyndwr…?" Jo asked hopefully. The youth nodded emphatically and gestured to her again. " M-me…? You want to know who I am…?" Jo frowned and pointed to herself.  
" Bai! Zu! Nor zara zu?" He beamed, his green eyes sparkling wildly.  
" Jo…I'm Jo…" She said nervously as the others watched in stunned silence. The youth's face became astonished. The other men around them began to talk very animatedly to each other. Talking too quickly for the friends to distinguish any words. The stocky man's voice was the loudest of those surrounding them, every so often the friends would catch part of his agitated conversation with the green-eyed youth.  
" Bera…ez! Neska gazte hau…!" * His loud voice spat in disbelief as he pointed at Jo.  
" Bai! Bera!" Answered the youth, Jo assumed was called Glyndwr, placatingly. After a few more moments of foreign arguing the men surrounding the friends stopped. The friends themselves had huddled closer together, all of them wishing that they had kept hold of their weapons as the eyes of then men fell upon them once more.  
" This doesn't look good…" Bertrande said, her voice trembling. Guillaume clutched Jo's hand even tighter as Glyndwr took a step closer and extended his hand.  
" Jo…etorri hona…" His voice was gentle and Jo didn't doubt for a second what it was he was saying.  
" He wants me to go with him…" she said quietly.  
" No Jo…you mustn't…it could be a trap…" Guillaume's voice trembled like Bertrande's had done moments before.  
" I…I don't think he means us any harm…" Jo whispered gently.  
" But…_how_ do you know?! How do we know he doesn't work for Obsequious…!" Guillaume started but as soon as Glyndwr heard that name his face became hard and a look of disgust covered it.  
" I don't know _how_ I know but just trust me…" Jo pulled Guillaume's hand over towards her face and kissed the palm quickly, "…please…trust me…" Jo looked deeply into his deep brown eyes before looking up into Glyndwr's face. After a moment's thought she reached out and took his hand. He gently pulled her to her feet and smiled.  
" Jo…lagun…amets eder bat amets egin dut…" ** Glyndwr reached out to touch her face but Jo pulled away. Unsure of what he had said and therefore unsure of his motives. As she did so, her cloak fell back revealing the seal that she had been given by Marduk and Eos back in the Great Hall. It shone in the torchlight and Glyndwr's mouth fell open. "…goizeko izarra…?" *** He frowned looking at the seal and then back into Jo's eyes. Jo unclipped the seal and held it out in her palm, the symbol of 'L'Étoiles' facing upwards. Tentatively Glyndwr reached out and placed his hand over the top. As soon as he did so a warm wind filled the small glade in which they all stood, sounding like a hundred whispering voices it whipped around them all. Both Jo and Glyndwr closed their eyes, as if listening to what the wind was saying. The breeze died down almost as quickly as it had started and Jo and Glyndwr reopened their eyes.  
" Jo…? Jo are you alright…?" Phillipe frowned.  
" I'm fine…" Jo smiled at them all, " The wind…it spoke…I know what Glyndwr and the others were saying…I mean, I know the name of the language at least…they were speaking Euskara…"  
" Euskara? What on earth…?" Mark looked confused.  
" I know what that is!" Rosie grinned triumphantly. " We covered it at school…it's the language of the Basque region…"  
" Aaaah –I see!" Mark sighed, clearly none the wiser.  
" An area of Southern France and Spain that is independent, to a degree, and speaks another language…" Rosie explained quickly.  
" Can you…can you understand me…?" Jo asked Glyndwr quietly. He licked his lips, his face bore an expression of pure concentration. Then very quietly, and obviously very unsure of himself, Glyndwr answered.  
" Yes…" he spoke tentatively. " Yes…Jo, leader of Strangers…I understand you…and we have been sent to take you to Alvejan…"

* - _" Her…No! This young girl…?!"_  
** - _" Jo…friend…I have dreamt a beautiful dream…"_  
*** - _"…The Morning Star…?"_


	19. PART 55

"How do you know about Alvejan?" Rosie stammered as the other friends, and the armed men all stared at Jo and Glyndwr, shock written on all of their faces. Glyndwr's eyes were wide and his own expression was one of slight surprise. Only Jo seemed to be relatively unaffected by it all, her face was calm, but if you looked closely you could see here eyes seemed to be sparkling like Glyndwr's.  
" I don't…" Glyndwr started, " I'm not sure…but you _are_ looking for him…aren't you?" He glanced at Jo, one of his dark eyebrows rose again slightly. Jo merely nodded.  
" How do we know you'll take us to him?" Aradia's voice cut through the air like a knife. " How do we know you're not going to rob us blind?!" Jo sighed quietly and looked over at the young Princess who had risen up onto her knees and placed her hands on her hips.  
" To be honest Aradia…I think that is they were going to rob us they would have done it already _and_ more importantly…what on earth do we have worth stealing?!" This time it was Jo's eyebrow that shot up. Aradia closed her mouth and sank back down on her heels, a frown creased her forehead.  
" I agree with you Jo," Guillaume smiled slightly, " But how _do_ we know that we won't be led on some wild goose chase…" His dark eyes flicked to the youth next to Jo, suspicion flashing briefly.  
" How can I…?" Glyndwr started before pausing. " I know," He smiled before saying something quietly and in Euskara to the men surrounding them after which, the majority immediately re-sheathed their swords or lowered their bows and crossbows. The stocky man didn't do anything.  
" Baina…Glyndwr…" He started but Glyndwr quickly walked over and pulled the broadsword from his hands and tossed it into a nearby bush.  
" Ez baina!" Glyndwr said firmly while the friends watched, astounded. The stocky man opened his mouth to argue but Glyndwr prevented him. " Ez dit axola, Petos!" There was an awkward silence where Glyndwr and the stocky man called Petos just glared at each other. Taking the initiative a young man with a shock of red hair near Phillipe, stepped closer with his hand outstretched.  
" Kaixo! Zer moduz?" The young man looked up into Phillipe's face with slight trepidation in his eyes, despite the wide smile on his lips. Phillipe slowly took the young man's hand and shook it, as he felt the shake being returned a wide grin spread onto his face.  
" Well, I don't know what you said…" Phillipe said happily, " But I'm pleased to meet you!"  
As soon as the rest of Glyndwr's men and the friends realised that it was safe to do so, they all approached each other with outstretched arms and smiles. All except Petos who moved away from them all to brood under a tree and Aradia who looked frightened to looks at any of the men , let alone let one of them shake her hand, lest she catch something from them..  
" Please…you can trust us…" Glyndwr offered his hand to Guillaume. Jo and Glyndwr were both very relieved when, after a moment's thought, Guillaume took it. " Sorry about all that before but with rumours of Obsequious' invasion of Aesina no one can be too careful really can they?" After which he said quietly, " Excuse me for asking…but…_why_ are you looking for Alvejan…?"  
" Erm…well, it's kinda complicated!" grinned Jenny.  
" You see there's this whole quest thing and…well…" Mark started.  
" Quest?" Glyndwr's eyebrows shot up on his forehead and he looked like he was having a hard time trying not to laugh.  
" Yes…quest…" Lina said firmly.  
" And don't tell me…" Glyndwr's giggles were getting the better of him. " You're the famous _Strangers_ on the search for the Crystals of the Wise Ones…" He howled with laughter and was just wiping the tears away from his eyes before he caught sight of the expressions before him. Coughing he straightened up and looked a little confused, as well as just a little embarrassed. " You're not though…are you…?" The friends quickly exchanged glances before all nodding at him.  
" You knew that though…didn't you?" Marius frowned, " I mean you called Jo 'leader of strangers' just now…"  
" Well yes…'leader of strangers', not 'leader of **the** Strangers'!" Glyndwr frowned back. " I mean anyone only has to look at Jo to know she's your leader," Jo flushed a little at this. " Besides everyone knows that story's just a myth…isn't it…"  
" Do we look mythical to you…?" Rosie gestured at them all.  
" Well no…" Glyndwr swallowed hard as he thought. " But…"  
" Plus you saw her seal, the Star of the Strangers!" Mark continued, " Why else would she have one…?!"  
" I tell you what…" Jo smiled, sensing Glyndwr's confusion was growing. " Forget about all that for now…we, a group of strangers, are looking for Alvejan. You know where he is. Any chance you could tell us how to find him?" She smirked and was glad to see some of the confusion fade from Glyndwr's face.  
" Yes of course I can but I'll do better then that I'll show you!" He said something again to the men in Euskara and they all started to head back through the trees, waving to the friends as they vanished among the leaves and tree trunks. Petos was the last to go, eyeing the friends with a mixture of contempt and utter bewilderment he too vanished. And so Glyndwr took the lead, guiding the friends onward through the trees.  
" So, where are you from…?" Marius asked as they walked.  
" Oh…here and there…!" Glyndwr grinned back at him.  
" Oh…right…" Marius was confused.  
" You see, we're from all over, personally I'm from the Lake country in the North near the mountains…" Glyndwr tried to explain.  
" We?" Rosie stepped over a fallen tree in her way.  
" My men and I…we're known as Meanders," Aradia let out a haughty laugh at this and Jo rolled her eyes.  
" Interesting name…why 'meanders'?" Jo asked trying to ignore the smirk on Aradia's face.  
" Because we travel all over the country, in every direction," He said, " Traditionally we follow water sources, streams, rivers and so on…and that's how we got our name…because we meander like the streams we follow…"  
" So you travel from place to place…" Lucy was starting to understand.  
"…with no real direction or purpose!" Aradia snorted and Jo glared at her.  
" Shut it Aradia!" Jo snapped through gritted teeth, her cheeks were flushed partly from anger and partly from embarrassment.  
" I think it sounds lovely…a very 'romantic' existence…" Bertrande sighed as she ducked under a low hanging branch.  
" No ties, no responsibilities…" Martin breathed before cursed under his breath as he walked into the branch Bertrande had just avoided, getting a mouthful of leaves in the process.  
" No home…" Glyndwr added quietly, his voice sad.  
As they walked deeper into the trees, the friends noticed that there seemed to be even less light than ever and their torches were doing little to illuminate the gloom around them. They stopped for a moment while, to Glyndwr's astonishment and that of the friends, Jo tried to see if different coloured flames made any difference. Blue only made the place seem even colder and green hurt their eyes. Finally deciding that white flames gave off the most light, they continued on their way. Jo could tell just by the look on Glyndwr's face that he was dying to ask her about what she had just done, but was unsure how to.  
" Thank goodness I got the hang of that flame colouring spell eh?" Jo said by way of explanation of her actions to the others and as a way of providing a possible route of enquiry for Glyndwr. " Mithras showed me it in case we ever needed to create coloured beacons or something…"  
" Did you say spell…?" Glyndwr asked timidly.  
" Uh huh," Jo smiled and then whispered conspiratorially to him, " But don't tell anyone!" She winked. " I'd rather keep the 'witch' bit quiet if at all possible…"  
" So it's true…" Glyndwr's eyes were wide and his voice a whisper. " You _are_ the legendary Students…"  
" Of course it's true!" Aradia rolled her lilac eyes. " We already told you that once didn't we?! Honestly…!"  
" Aradia…" Amos said gently, noticing the angry glow building in Jo's eyes as she glanced back to frown at the Princess. The friends stopped walking, nervous glances being exchanged all round.  
" I mean are you _that_ stupid? I know Meanders aren't good for anything but I assumed that even they could _think_! Guess I was wrong…!"  
" Come on Aradia…leave it out!" Lucy tried to sound jovial but there was sternness in her voice that was rarely heard.  
" Leave what out?!" Aradia turned to face Lucy, a delicate eyebrow raised and her eyes narrowed. Lucy's face was one of shock and her hands raised defensively up in front of her.  
" Hey there's no need to speak to me like that…!" Lucy tried to sound calm.  
" I'm just telling you a little bit about our guide and his _people_," She said the last word as if she was describing some particularly nasty insect.  
" Well I really don't think you need to," Rosie said firmly.  
" Yeah…I'm sure Glyndwr will tell us all about the Meanders…if he wants to…" Simon's voice was lighter but his blue eyes had an angry twinkle.  
" …if you give him chance!" Lina mumbled under her breath. Glyndwr merely looked at Aradia with a look of confusion on his face, although his eyes showed hurt. Aradia's eyes, in comparison, glittered giving her usually pretty face a hard, slightly unhinged look as he mouth twisted into a cruel smile.  
" Whatever he tell you will be lies!" Aradia said.  
" Aradia…" Jo's voice was quiet and her eyes had started to glitter too.  
" They're _meanders_, untrustworthy thieves, little better than…" The princess continued.  
" That's enough Aradia," Jo's voice was getting louder.  
" They should have been run out of Vaniria long ago…!" Aradia spat.  
" That's enough Aradia!" Jo yelled making the Princess turn around to face her. The two faced each other, eyes shining with rage, both with their hands clenched into fists by their sides, shifting their weight from one foot to the other as they stared angrily at each other.  
" Don't tell me what to do!" Aradia started.  
" I'll tell you to do whatever I see fit!" Jo retorted with half a laugh. " And right now I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself!" Aradia opened her mouth to argue but Jo cut her off. " If you don't like it…you can go back to Vaniria…but if you're coming with us then you'd better change your attitude!" The young princess opened and closed her mouth a few times before letting out a kind of exasperated shriek and stomping off into the trees.  
" Should someone go after her…?" Jenny asked nervously, breaking the uneasy silence that filled the air.  
" No, she'll be back soon enough…" Jo's face smiled briefly, " …she doesn't have a torch!" Jo then turned to Glyndwr with a look of shame on her face. " Glyndwr, I can't apologise enough…" she started but Glyndwr held up his hands to stop her.  
" You don't have to Jo…what she said is the attitude of everyone towards Meanders…" He shrugged, "…I don't think it's very accurate myself but if she hadn't have said it…someone else would have…" He grinned. " Sooner or later!"  
" Well it's not _our_ attitude…" Jo smiled. " And regardless that you think I don't have to, I want to apologise. Even if our pig-headed princess can't see it, you're helping us and…well…" she rolled her eyes, "…you know what I'm trying to say!" Faint laughter went around the group at her embarrassment. " Anyway…we might as well have a rest while we wait for Aradia to come back…" Jo drove her torch into the ground and watched as the others did the same and sat around on rocks or the ground or leant against trees. Jo leant back against a large tree with navy blue bark and sighed. Guillaume walked over and leant next to her.  
" Don't you think you were a bit hard on Aradia just then?"  
" Maybe…" Jo glanced up at his face, " But then again no! If I'm not 'hard' on her now then she's never going to get over herself!" She rolled her green eyes with an exasperated sigh. " We, _I_, asked her along for her _diplomatic_ skills, not so she could insult everyone we meet with her snobbish thoughts! What good'll it be if everyone we meet, who could help us, doesn't because of her mouth?!"  
" Fair point I suppose…but…" Guillaume said gently.  
" Plus," Jo continued, obviously needing to get her point across, " If this Obsequious guy is as bad as he's made out to be, a point I don't doubt by the way, then we're going to need all the help we can get!!"  
" All good, valid points…" Guillaume had a small smile on his lips. " But remember…darling…" He kissed the end of her nose softly, " You too have been guilty in the past of opening your mouth before engaging your brain!" He smirked, dimples forming on his cheeks, as Jo flushed slightly. " I seem to recall a night in Artigat…something about religion…" He grinned as Jo squirmed and jabbed him in the ribs to make him stop.  
" Ok, ok!" She groaned, " I get it! Give her a break…" The sound of breaking twigs signaled Aradia's somewhat dejected re-entry to the group. Jo tried to smile at her but stopped quickly when it wasn't returned.  
" Shall we continue…?" Phillipe said, pulling his torch out of the ground. The others picked themselves up and Glyndwr started to lead them on. Jo pulled her torch up and as they followed the others she hissed to Guillaume,  
" I'll give her another chance but if she does anything like that again…I swear I'll swing for her!" She frowned and Guillaume rolled his eyes as he carefully pushed her carefully onwards.  
" Well it's not exactly the peace pact I was hoping for but seeing as it's you…I guess it's the best I'm going to get!"  
The friends trekked on for another hour or so and the blue-barked trees, with their pink and purple foliage started to thin. Then, quite suddenly, they broke the trees and into a large glade. The sun shone here and the friends shielded their eyes against the sudden glare. A stream ran across in front of them and sunlight sparkled off the water. In the middle of the glade was a small cottage. Briars and climbing roses grew around the door and lush, green ivy, grew over the rest of the building. Its window's were small but through them the friends could see the edges of curtains and a jug with some roses in it. The group wandered over to it slowly.  
" Is this it…?" Simon's voice was full of wonder.  
" This is," Glyndwr said with what sounded like reverence in his voice as he approached the door and knocked on the faded blue wood. There was silence. The friends glanced at each other.  
" Maybe you should try again…?" Suggested Phillipe. Glyndwr knocked again, this time a little harder. Still no answer.  
" Maybe he's out…walking or something…" Rosie suggested.  
" Maybe I am!" A voice came from behind them. They spun around and two kind eyes met their curious ones. " All of you are welcome here. I am Alvejan," The man before them smiled. " I've been expecting you!"


	20. PART 56

The cottage in which Alvejan lived was deceptive to look at. From the outside it looked small and cosy, unlikely to fit more than Alvejan in it! But the friends were surprised to find that the inside seemed much bigger. The fifteen of them, as well as Billabong, could all fit into his kitchen quite easily. (Although there weren't quite enough chairs for everyone!) Alvejan looked to be easily a hundred years old with pure, snow-white hair that fell to his shoulders and a beard half way down his chest, but he moved nimbly enough and his eyes sparkled constantly. He had obviously been a larger man in his youth, strong and well built. His face was kind and he seemed to have a permanent smile on his face. He pottered about in cupboards finding cup after cup and then filling various spans with water from a barrel in the corner to boil over the fire that was burning merrily in the fireplace, asking them all about their journey and how they had managed to run into Glyndwr.  
" I guess you'd call it a bit of an accident!" Mark grinned. Jo was thankful that Aradia seemed to be overawed by the old man and was keeping any comments she had to herself. As they watched him, Jo was convinced she knew Alvejan. There was something about him that was unusually familiar. She couldn't decide whether it was his voice, gruff yet kind, or his eyes. There was even something about his name that was screaming out to her but that she couldn't not make out. Handing out mugs and cups of what looked like steaming pink stew, Alvejan settled down in a chair next to the fire. The friends arranged themselves around him, on chairs, on the table, Rosie even sat on the floor at his feet like a child waiting to hear a story.  
" Well…" He said once everyone had settled down. " I suppose you want to hear the legend of the crystal…it all started many moons ago when…"  
" Er…not to interrupt…" Jo said quietly, " But Lina already told us that…" She blushed as Alvejan smiled at her and then at Lina, who's cheeks also flushed.  
" As did Madam Puw…" Jenny added quietly.  
" Ah I see your Crystallian and Vanirian tutors have been teaching you all well!" Alvejan smiled. " In that case what would you like me to tell you about…?" A silence followed, the friends had a burning question but no one wanted to say it. Jo nervously cleared her throat and said what everyone was wondering.  
" Could you, please, tell us about Obsequious…no one in Vaniria wanted to speak much about him…" Jo said softly, not wanting to offend the Wise One before them.  
" Well to understand Obsequious you must understand his father…Incubus…" A frown broke on Alvejan's face. " He was an evil, evil being. Power mad and destructive…but he hadn't always been so…"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lord Incubus was once a member of the court of Aesina. He seemed a loyal subject and was often trusted by King Nedraw and Queen Aurora as an envoy to Vaniria and to other countries. He was even awarded a piece of the crystal as he represented the East for that had been his place of birth, on the border of the Swamplands. With this role came his first taste of power, he was privy to knowledge no one else in Aesina knew and as such he knew just how powerful and affluent the country was becoming. This he was jealous of. He studied Nedraw's private communications between his governors across Aesina, studied just how he had managed to create such a powerful state. He believed that through all his study he could create a kingdom as great as Nedraw's if not better. And so he left Aesina and decided to try and create a kingdom in the East. His dream was to turn the barren Swamplands into fields, in which he could grow crops and therefore gain power.  
However, what Incubus failed to realise was that Nedraw's success was not only due to his own skills as a leader but down to the people of Aesina. The people who followed Incubus to the Swamplands were lazy, wanted the success of Aesina but didn't want to work for it. As such, all of Incubus' great plans came to nothing. He built a huge castle in the Swamplands but provided nothing for his 'people', many returned after a few months realising how foolish they had been.  
Needless to say Incubus' jealousy of Nedraw grew and grew and it was this that drove him to do what he did. He shifted his study from Aesina to Dark Magick and began to learn the Dark Arts. Enslaving those who had stayed in the Swamplands and anyone who happened to pass close enough to the border to be caught. He created an army, hungry to destroy and he invaded Aesina. The invasion was easy enough for his dark army. They destroyed everything in their path, villages, cities, the great castle of Aesina and its walled city were raised to the ground as soon as Incubus had claimed the throne as his own.  
The curious thing was that when Incubus had captured the King and Queen, foolishly letting the Princess Aradia escape, he stripped them of their crowns but was too afraid to kill them himself. For when he had studied his Dark Magick he knew that one rule was true for all, the threefold law. Whatever you did, good or bad, it returns to you with the power of three. Afraid that killing the King and Queen himself would mean he would be doomed to die himself he had a soldier do it as soon as he was out of the city. He lived the rest of his life afraid that one day his deeds would return to haunt him.  
And so power of Aesina and the Swamp has passed onto Obsequious, just as obsessed with power and control and darkness as his father was. A Student of the Dark Arts whose dark eyes are now fixed on Vaniria and on the Crystal.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

" But it is getting late…" Alvejan said suddenly, disturbing the silence that had fallen as they listened to him. " You will stay here of course…" The friends nodded and yawned their answer. " I hoped as much…there are blankets in the spare rooms upstairs and I'll bring some down so the rest of you can sleep down here." Alvejan headed upstairs to go and get the blankets and show them to the rooms. Jo was amazed to find that Aradia didn't complain about having to sleep with a blanket, possibly on the floor. Maybe she was improving. Then a disgruntled cry of,  
" I couldn't possibly sleep on that!" floated downstairs and Jo sighed. Then again maybe she wasn't. Guillaume, Jo and Lina had stayed downstairs in the kitchen, along with Marius and Phillipe, they figured that there probably wouldn't be any more room upstairs. Guillaume yawned as he sat in a chair next to the fire. Jo bent over him, ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead.  
" You look tired…" She said quietly, watching as he dark eyes were struggling to keep open.  
" I'm…I'm…" A yawn prevented Guillaume from finishing. Jo smiled as she pulled his cloak from the back of the chair and laid it over him. Just as she was about to say 'Goodnight' she realised he was already asleep. Kissing his forehead again she stood up and turned around. Both Phillipe and Marius were yawning their heads off. " I don't think you two are far behind him are you!" She grinned as they took tried to deny it but the yawning fit seemed to be winning and their eyes looked sleepily at her.  
Jo and Lina rolled their eyes before heading outside. They both yawned but tried to hide it. Giggling as they spotted the other one.  
" I think I', going to get some exercise…" Lina said suddenly, " My wings get awfully stiff if I don't fly at least once a day…"  
" Well, before you go…off…up there…" Jo gestured skyward, " Do you mind if I ask you something…?"  
" Of course not…" Lina smiled.  
" It's just that other than Aradia's 'oh-so-unbiased' opinion of Glyndwr…" Jo smirked slightly, " We don't really know anything about them and well, you've lived here just as long as Aradia has and I wondered what your opinion was?"  
" To be honest…" Lina shrugged as she flexed her arms above her head. " I go on gut feelings, not on a person's tribe and as for Glyndwr…he seemed pretty genuine to me…"  
" Yeah…you're probably right…" Jo sighed, thinking about her first impression of the young Meander leader. His eyes had seemed to see right through her, she surely would have known then if something were wrong.  
" Well if you'll excuse me…" Lina wandered off into the clearing a little, " I want to get at least an hour in before it gets too dark!" Kicking off delicately, she soared up like a rocket. Up into the blue sky before unfurling her beautiful feathered wings and beginning to flap them gracefully, propelling herself through the air. Billabong appeared in the doorway, his lamp like eyes looking up at Jo where she stood.  
" You going for some exercise too?" Jo smiled, reaching down to tickle his ears. Billabong made a kind of gentle sound, halfway between a yawn and a groan before padding off silently into the trees.  
" There's nothing like fresh air is there?" Jo jumped as Alvejan was next to appear in the doorway. " Would you walk with me…? I like to go for a short walk before I sleep, easing the aches and pains!" He asked as he stretched slowly in the doorway.  
" Of course…" Jo smiled as they wandered off.  
" It _is_ good to see you again Jo," Alvejan's voice was soft as they wandered alongside the stream, Jo stopped and looked at the elderly man before her. Something about him was so familiar,  
" Have we…have we met before…?" Jo said quietly as Alvejan's smile grew warmer,  
" Yes, but only briefly…" He smiled, wanting her to remember for herself. A light frown creased Jo's brow.  
" We did? Oh…well…erm…" Jo fought to remember, to place those eyes and that kind face in her memory. A vision of a street came to her, it was dark. Night had fallen. She could remember some gates, she was sure there had been gates. Gates leading into a garden. Suddenly Jo's eyes lit up as the memory hit her completely, " It can't be…you're not…" Jo swallowed, " You're not Valjean…are you?" Alvejan sighed happily.  
" Oh how I do miss Paris…" he slowly sat down on a rock next to the stream, Jo knelt down beside him. " It all seems so long ago now…"  
" But how…I mean…what are you doing here? Not that I'm not pleased to see you again but…how did you get here…and when?! They told us you were one of the wise ones…but Lina said they ruled over the country _hundreds_ of years ago…!" Jo babbled, her mind full of a thousand questions all at once, Alvejan let out a small chuckle.  
" So many questions…? Well I got here as you did, through a Gyratory and as for being a Wise One, I wasn't one of the original ones…I'm not _that_ old…!" He smiled down at her. " As for the others…I will answer them all soon but first, I must ask you something…about Phillipe…"  
" What about him…?" Jo frowned.  
" I don't quite know how to say this…but…why doesn't **he** recognise me…? I thought that you might have done but I was very surprised that he didn't…" Jo was completely thrown, this was the last thing she had expected.  
" Because…erm…" Jo tried to put it into words, " I guess it's simply because he is no longer 'Inspector Javert'…he's just…well…he's just Phillipe now…" Jo noticed the slight fear in Alvejan's eyes. " You have nothing to fear…I swear…" She reached up and gently squeezed one of his hands. " His search for you ended long ago…" Jo was relieved to see the fear fade and the smile grow slightly.  
" I just had to be sure…" he took a deep and slightly shaky breath, " He had been a shadow in my life for so long, even here when I first arrived and heard the legend of 'The Strangers' for the first time I felt worried that the only reason he would come here would be for me…" Shaking his head, Alvejan rolled his bright eyes. " But I see now the reason he came so far was the reason that they have _all_ travelled for so long…" Jo frowned, confusion entering her eyes.  
" I don't…I mean…what reason? This quest was a surprise for us all, none of us knew about it before we arrived…"  
" Jo…" Alvejan sighed as he looked down at her. " You really don't see it do you…?" Jo shrugged, completely confused. " It's _you_, Jo! They're all here, because of you…" Jo flushed.  
" Well I suppose it _is_ my fault that Rosie, Mark, Lucy and Jenny are here but the others…they just kinda came by themselves…"  
" That's not what I meant…nothing is your _fault_!" Alvejan smiled. " You're the reason they have given up their lives and come this far, you're the reason Phillipe was able to lose his obsession with Valjean…with me, it's because of you…!"  
" No…no it can't be!" Jo rose off her knees a little, shaking her head. " They wanted to see the world or something and Phillipe…he was always a good person at heart just, misguided…" she babbled, trying to reason it out in her own mind.  
" You mustn't worry yourself my dear…" He said gently, as he tried to stop her fretting. " Everything that has happened has been out of your control anyway…" He added quietly. " It will all become clear…the truth will be told when the time comes…"  
Suddenly a wind passed through the glade, clouds were covering the sky. Jo suddenly felt the familiar feeling of fear starting to grow inside her. " There will be many surprises for you all on this journey…" Jo could hear foreboding in his voice and Jo felt a shiver go down her spine as she looked at his eyes, which seemed to be illuminated by some strange, hidden light. " For some, this will be a final journey, for others, whose journey's are longer, the path will be hard…very hard…" The glade was silent, even the water next to them seemed to be moving silently. His eyes were fixed on something Jo could not see, it was as if all of the woods had stopped to listen to his words and as much as Jo wanted to, she know she must not interrupt him with questions no matter how much she didn't understand. " Discoveries will be made that will change everything…friends will disappoint…" His eyes moved to her face and Jo could feel his gaze almost penetrate to her very soul. " Lives will be made and broken by this quest and you, you must not let them fail…" Jo was sure she could see tears building in his eyes, " And you, you must not give up…in the face of tragedy…you must go on…" Jo swallowed, feeling her panic rising. None of what Alvejan had said filled her with confidence. The strange glow in his eyes faded and he smiled, the sounds of the woods filtered back in the air and Jo blinked, unsure of whether Alvejan's worrying kind of prophecy had taken place.  
He raised his eyes to the sky and smiled, Jo wondered is even he remembered what he had just said. Standing up slowly, he winced as his back cracked sickeningly. He groaned as Jo stood up beside him. " Ah the joys of old age…" he rubbed his aching back and they started to walk back towards his cottage. Jo had questions burning on her lips, desperate to know more of what he had spoken. Who were the friends who would disappoint? What was this tragedy that may stop her from continuing? And when was it going to happen? But it seemed the answers were going to be up to her to find, as Alvejan bid her goodnight and went inside. Jo stood and leant back against the wall for a moment, trying to comprehend what she had just been told. Was it more legend? Or had it been a vision? Looking up into the sky she saw Lina circling gracefully in the gradually darkening sky. It would probably be best to keep Alvejan's words to herself for now, no point worrying the others yet. With a heavy sigh she too heading inside the small cottage leaving Lina to soar through the endless sky above.


	21. PART 57

Exhausted from their day's journey, the friends slept soundly. Even Jo found when she awoke; she had no recollections of dreaming about a cold wind and an even colder voice. Only Aradia grumbled that her back hurt from sleeping on the floor but, to everyone's relief, she did it under her breath and was polite to Alvejan. He gave them bread that he had baked himself along with a large jar of homemade preserve, which despite being a lurid green in colour was quite pleasant. Jo had not mentioned to anyone the strange conversation she had had with Alvejan the night before, although she _was_ having to be careful. She nearly called him Valjean several times that morning and even though she tried to hide it with a cough or mumbling, the others were beginning to look concerned.  
" So where do we head to next…?" Glyndwr asked before washing down a mouthful of bread with some water.  
" North, up towards the Lake I think…apparently the second crystal should be there but I can't see one of the little blue stars…" Phillipe studied the map by his side. " No, wait…there's a crystal here in the woods somewhere that we have to get first…"  
" Wait a minute…we?!" Aradia paused as she spread some more green jam on her bread.  
" You're joining us Glyndwr?" Lucy grinned across the table at him and he nodded, chewing on a crust.  
" Great stuff!" beamed Mark, " Pass us that jam would you Aradia?"  
" We?!" She repeated, her knife frozen in the act of spreading.  
" Yes…we!" Jo said trying to keep her voice firm but calm. " Now pass the jar to Mark…please…"  
" B-b-b-but why?!" Aradia stammered, her knife still unmoving in the air.  
" Because…I want some on my bread…" Mark smirked as Aradia snapped out of her daze to frown at him and practically threw the jam jar at him.  
" Not you! I mean _him_…why's _he_ joining us?" Aradia jabbed her knife at Glyndwr angrily. Jo was about to launch into another tirade at her but Glyndwr got in there first. His voice calm and his eyes fixed on Aradia's.  
" Because…princess…not only do I want to see peace return to this land like everyone else…" He sighed, " But because I feel I owe it to Aesina to help you all…"  
" You?! Owe something to Aesina…I doubt that very much!" Aradia spat.   
" Well…not just me…all of my tribe. We owe our lives to King Nedraw, you father, and as such Aesina has our allegiance…" Aradia opened her mouth to hurl more abuse at the Meander at the other end of the table but Lucy's quiet voice got in their first.  
" Could you explain a little more...please Glyndwr, I for one am a little lost…" Her brown eyes smiled at him.  
" Many years ago my father, Stefan, entered Aesina and took with him the first Meanders to enter the country in over a hundred years. Prior to this a law had made it illegal for wandering tribes to enter the land or work there, with the penalty being death…" The friends swallowed quietly as he spoke. " But my father approached the King and explained that the Meanders only asked to work on the land and be paid in return, maybe along with some land on which they could live. Nedraw was a kind soul and saw that Stefan and his people were willing to work hard and would be a credit to Aesina and so he abolished the law and not only granted them permission to work in Aesina but he gave us land, near the woodlands where we are now, which was our own and where many Meanders still live today," Glyndwr's voice was firm but not harsh as he glanced back at the young princess. " That winter was the hardest in living memory, but Nedraw, instead of letting my father and his people suffer, took them inside the walled city along with many other Aesians where they were given food and places to stay. He prevented them from being wiped out completely, and _that_ is why I wish to join _you_, your Highness…" Aradia tore her eyes away from his and looked down at the tabletop, clearly embarrassed. " But I also want to join you because…I was just a child when Incubus destroyed Aesina…" Glyndwr's voice suddenly became cracked, " But…my older brother, Glenwyn, fought against Incubus when he invaded…he fought bravely to defend the King and Queen as they fled from the castle but…he was…" Jo reached out and gently squeezed his arm, "….he was killed…" He looked at the friends his eyes all at once bright. " And so I to have my own reasons to see Obsequious defeated."   
" That's awful…" Bertrande sniffed, trying to hide the fact that Glyndwr's take had brought tears to her eyes.  
" We would be honoured to have you with us…" Jo said quietly, gently squeezing his arm before withdrawing her hand.  
" Definitely…" Guillaume smiled. There was a moment of silence, where the friends digested what they had just heard.  
" Phillipe…" Alvejan said suddenly, " You mentioned a crystal piece here in the woods…" The friends were baffled, it seemed almost as if Alvejan hadn't heard Glyndwr's sad tale. Phillipe shrugged and checked the map again and nodded. " I believe that particular piece isn't far from here…I could take some of you to go and get it…What do you think…?" His bright eyes flashed at Jo who, after a minute of confusion, realized this was her chance to tell Rosie, Mark, Lucy and Jenny about Alvejan's true identity.  
" Sounds like an excellent idea Alvejan," She smiled broadly at him, " But I don't think we _all_ need to go…besides…" Jo looked down at her hands, " I want to have a word with a few of you anyway…" She coughed nervously, looking back up to see worried faces surrounding her, Jo tried to laugh. " Don't worry! Nothing serious…!"  
" So…" Lina swallowed some water noisily through nerves, " Wh-who do you want to talk to…?"  
" Well, Rosie, Mark…Jenny and…er…Lucy..." Jo tried to sound as if she was thinking of the names on the spot and not reeling them off from in her head.  
" And no one else…?" Guillaume's eyes looked slightly hurt.  
" Well…I think just those four for now…I just want to go over a few things from our lives before we came through the gyratory in the first place…" Jo tried to think of an excuse on her feet. " You know…to see if anything we knew then or learnt then might help us now…" Jo smiled at him, " You lot go with Alvejan and we'll tell you what we thought of when you get back!" None of them looked particularly convinced, least of all Guillaume, but they stood up and slowly followed Alvejan out of the door, across the glade and into the trees. Jo waited until Billabong's tail had vanished into the shadows before turning quickly back to the four friends still sat at the table.  
" So what was the real reason Jo?" Rosie smirked.  
" Why only us four…?" Mark's dark brows rose.  
" I hope everything's alright…!" Lucy said nervously.  
" Come on Jo…" Jenny urged, " What's the big mystery now…?"  
" It's about Alvejan…" Jo said finally, before she launched into a speedy telling of Alvejan's premonitions from the night before. All of their faces grew paler with every word and by the time she had finished, their eyes were wide and there was a nervous silence in the kitchen.  
" What did he mean…'someone's final journey'…?" Rosie's voice sounded close to tears.  
" And do you think that whole 'friend who will disappoint' thing means someone will trick us…or betray us or something…?" Lucy mumbled thoughtfully.  
" I'm no wiser then you are…" Jo sighed as she leant back in her chair.  
" So basically…this quest…is doomed!" Mark said as he stood up suddenly and began the pace around the table.  
" Nothing's doomed!" Jo sighed, " He's just given us something to chew over…all these prophecies and legends only come true if you believe in them…" She added less than confidently, " Anyway…there is one other thing I guess you should know about Alvejan…"  
" What? Is he coming with us too? Aradia'll have a fit!" smirked Jenny.  
" No…!" Jo tried not to laugh. " Do any of you feel like you…well…_know_ him at all…" Blank faces surrounded her. " So none of you feel like you've met him before or anything…?" Again, the friends exchanged puzzled looks and shrugged. " And nothing about his name is familiar to any of you…?" With a heavy sigh Jo stood up and went over to her pack and pulled out some scraps of parchment and a few quills. " I want you all to try rearranging the letters of Alvejan and see if you can spot the name that it makes…it starts with V…" Jo said handing them scraps and quills.  
" Is it Veanjal?" Lucy offered quietly after a few moments of manic scribbling.  
" How about…Velanja?" Rosie frowned as she doodled on the parchment.  
" All I got is…I can't even pronounce it!" Jenny held her scrap of parchment up to Jo who merely rolled her eyes and tutted loudly.  
" Ok stop, stop! Please!" Jo took a quill and writing carefully on the back of Jenny's attempt. V-a-l-j-e, " You got it yet…?" Jo glanced up at them all as they craned their necks to watch what she wrote.  
" Valjena?" Mark tried, hope in his voice. Jo thumped her head against the tabletop with a loud whack.  
" It's at times like this I really do wonder if Vaniria have picked the wrong people for this!" She muttered angrily, rubbing her forehead, before adding the last two letters to the name and showing the parchment to them all.  
" Oh my god…" gasped Lucy.  
" Is it really him…?" Mark swallowed a few times.  
" It seems so…" Jo smiled, " He recognises me and Phillipe…but then again…none of you met him while we were in Paris did you…?" Jo frowned trying to remember.  
" No! Don't you remember explaining it all to us…on the barricades…" Rosie smirked as she put on a harassed, out of breath voice and a cockney accent, "'Don't you realise what's happened! Marius met Rosie instead of Cosette, so he never went to the Rue Plumet and Éponine never prevented a robber there, so Valjean didn't decide to leave, Marius never wrote Cosette a letter so Valjean never read one and so Valjean won't come here to protect Marius and so he won't free Javert!'" The friends fell about laughing as the memory returned to them, Jo flushed bright red and even she couldn't fight the smile from building on her lips.  
" Ok, ok…so I panicked!" She shrugged as the friends regained their composure. " But the point is…it **is** him…I just know it is!"  
" But how…I mean…when…I thought…" stammered Jenny. Suddenly the sounds of voice filtered through the air,  
" They're back!" hissed Mark, glancing out of the window. Jo snatched at the scraps, gathering them up into her fist.  
" I don't know…he was going to tell me last night but he never got round to it…"  
" Should we tell the others…" Rosie glanced up at Jo, who knew she was talking specifically about Phillipe. Jo bit her lip in thought for a moment.  
" Yes…but not before we've left this cottage and the woods…we don't want to spark of some obsessive thing in Phillipe while he's close enough to Valjean to do anything about it!" Jo hastily threw the scraps into the fire just as the others came into the kitchen. The friends sat with what they hoped were innocent expressions on their faces. Those that returned had dark expressions and glum faces.  
" I'm guessing you didn't find it then…" Jenny asked in what she hoped was a nonchalant voice.  
" No!" Marius said angrily as he flopped down by the fireside.  
" We traipsed all over the place…" groaned Amos.  
" Only to find…" Lina picked bits of twig and leaves out of her wings and hair as Alvejan practically bounded through the door, his face beaming.  
" I had quite forgotten, I found the crystal years ago…it was here all along…" He said as he clambered up the stairs. Guillaume wandered over and stood behind Jo's chair. Stroking her dark hair he whispered.  
" What's the big secret…why did Alvejan feel the need to take us away like that…?" His voice sounded hurt and it pained Jo to think that she had hurt him. Turning slightly in her seat she smiled at him,  
" I _will_ tell you tomorrow…maybe even today…just not right now…" This seemed to satisfy Guillaume who squeezed her shoulder and stood up just as Alvejan reached the bottom of the stairs, a brown leather pouch in his hand. Walking up to Jo he presented it to her. With shaking hands, she undid the leather fastening and tipped the contents into her hand. The piece of crystal was about the size of a large orange and was jagged around the edges. It gleamed and flashed in the palm of her hand, despite the comparative gloom of Alvejan's kitchen.  
" Not very big is it…" Martin mumbled, breaking the awed silence in the air.  
" Well what did you expect?" Simon frowned.  
" I dunno…I was expecting some great boulder of a thing I guess…doesn't really matter though does it…" Martin shrugged as Jo carefully replaced the crystal in its pouch and re-fastened it.  
" So…" Jo said, holding out the pouch, " Who's going to look after it?" The friends looked at each other and then at Jo, their faces aghast.  
" Well you are…aren't you…?" Lina said quietly.  
" Don't you think I'm enough of a liability without giving me these as well…" Jo shook the pouch slightly as she smirked at them. " Honestly, I would rather someone else have it…" She glanced around, " For now at least!" After a moment's pause,  
" I'll take it…" Mark stepped forward and took the pouch from her hand. " I know what you mean…you're going to be attracting all kinds of trouble with your magick so just as well we don't give you these to risk breaking as well!" He laughed as Jo punched his arm playfully and the friends around them broke out into happy smiles.  
" Well then…" Jo said once Mark had fixed the pouch onto his belt firmly and had stopped laughing. " I guess we'd better get going…if this second crystal _is_ up near the lake then we've got a long walk ahead of us…!" So the friends quickly gathered their belongings and the fresh food and water given to them by Alvejan and headed out of the cottage. As the friends headed across the small glade and into the trees, they all turned to wave back at him.  
" Oh and Jo!…Aradia!…" Alvejan shouted after them, the two girls turned back to look at him once again, eyebrows raised in identical expressions of intrigue. " Looks after each other, won't you?" He shouted before waving and disappearing back inside his cottage. Jo and Aradia exchanged bemused looks,  
" What on earth what that for?" Aradia frowned, pushing a lock of hair behind an ear.  
" God knows…!" Jo sighed, pulling some of her hair back from her face as they walked after the others. " But maybe…he meant we should try to get on a little bit more…"  
" Yes…quite possibly…" Aradia said.  
" Are you…are you agreeing with me?!" Jo pretended to sound shocked and laughed when she saw Aradia smile.  
" Ok…I get it!" She rolled her lilac eyes. " I'll try to keep my comments to myself…"  
" And I'll try to be a bit more understanding about them…" Jo grinned as the pair of them stopped walking, faced each other and took each other's hands and said together and without prompting.  
" If I fail let it not be the fault of my heart!"  
Silence followed as they stared at each other.  
" Wh-what…?" Jo's voice was astonished.  
" I don't…I mean…" Aradia's voice was equally amazed. They looked at each other for a moment before shrugging and smiling.  
" Oh well…" Jo grinned again as they hurried to catch up with the others. " No doubt it'll make sense at some point!"  
" I don't doubt it for a second!" smirked Aradia as they raced through the trees and caught up with the others. Jo began to walk alongside Guillaume who looked cautiously at her smiling face and then at Aradia's and then back to Jo's.  
" Where've you two been? And why are you both so happy?" He frowned. " What did you do…have a quite fight to start the day properly?!" He smirked, Jo held her head high proudly.  
" No…as a matter of fact…I think we just swore to be friends!" Jo's voice was a little bemused but not as bemused as Guillaume's. He was so distracted by Jo's words that he walked straight into a tree. Jo and the others continued and after a few minutes Guillaume came jogging after them, massaging his nose, bits of bark in his hair, his dark brows frowning.  
" That's not funny Jo!" He said but Jo merely smiled up at him and brushed some of the bark from his fringe.  
" Who's laughing?!" She smirked before his expression finally got the better of her and Jo almost doubled over with laughter.  
And so the friends began their journey North, one crystal had been found and the second was their next goal. They all hoped fervently that this second one would be as easy to find, but somehow they knew this was unlikely to be the case.


	22. PART 58

As he walked slowly, he could see that the hall was filled, from floor to vaulted ceiling with every kind of jewel imaginable. Rubies were strewn across the floor, his torchlight reflected in their crimson depths. The darkness glittered with blue flashes from sapphires, green glints from emeralds and brilliant sparkles from countless diamonds that lay all over the floor beneath his feet. The floor was also littered with gold and silver in every form. Coins and crowns lay in countless piles, along with hoards of swords and shields. However, none of this was of any interest to him. One specific item was his aim. Crouching down, he lifted up a large silver shield, emblazoned with a unicorn, to see what lay beneath. He frowned as he way more jewels. Dropping the shield back down with a noisy clang he stood up and surveyed the treasures before him, his keen eyes searching.  
Then he saw something. A sparkle, far brighter than any so far, glittered in the corner of the room. With his hawk like eyes fixed on that spot he made his way around the piles of riches and squatting down he saw the cause. It was a large silver sword, it's handle engraved with words he could not understand. Sapphires edged the handle and at the hilt was a huge diamond. He guessed it was at least the size of a child's fist. Pulling the sword closer to his face, inspecting the diamond in detail. With a heavy sigh he started to lay the sword back down. " Nothing more than a diamond…" he muttered. Its silver blade shone in the flames' light for a second and he caught sight of his eyes reflected there. Stabbing the torch down into the earth he rose up, still holding the sword in his hands. Feeling the weight of it, he played it back and forth in front of him for a few moments, noting the ease with which it moved and not doubting for a second that the sword would be lethal as well as handsome. A smile played on his lips, who would miss it if he kept it, he span the sword effortlessly in his hands. Down here in this forgotten chamber it was no more than a memory to whom ever had owned it. Just as he was about to crouch down and search for the sheath, which would no doubt be lying nearby, a voice called down to him through the darkness.  
" Dedra? Dedra, he wants to know if you've found it!" called the voice. Dedra sighed and carefully put the sword back down on the ground and snatched up the torch.  
" Not yet…but I'm coming back up! I'll tell him myself!" He shouted back as he made his way back across the room to the way he had entered it. He surveyed the room one last time before beginning his climb back up to the surface. As he made his way up the steps carved out of the ground itself, the air around him grew gradually lighter as sunlight pierced the gloom. As he reached the top of the stairs he blew out the flaming torch and threw it aside before emerging into the daylight once again. He covered his eyes as they adjusted to the brightness that now surrounded him. Moving his hand away, he glanced around and took a deep breath. The air down in the hidden chamber had been stale and old, this air was fresh and almost sweet. A nervous looking guard approached him cautiously, looking upon him with a look that combined awe and distinct fear.  
" Where is he…?" Dedra asked firmly and the nervous guard gestured to a group of tents that had been pitched close by.  
" H-h-he's in there…" The guard stammered as Dedra marched past him and towards the largest of the tents. Pausing at the door flap, he brushed dust and cobwebs from his tunic and then, pushing the flap aside, he entered the gloom of the tent.  
" My lord…?" Dedra's keen eyes glanced around inside, there was no sign of his leader anywhere. Then, a candle lit (apparently by itself) in the far corner of the tent and two eyes sparkled in its flame. Dedra bowed gracefully at the eyes and stood up slowly.  
" Dedra…" A voice almost hissed from the far side of the tent, as another candle lit. Illuminating a little of a pale face. " My loyal friend…was it there…did you find it…?" His voice was cool and calm as it passed through the air like a cold breeze. Dedra bowed his head slightly as he knelt down before the man in front of him..  
" I could not find the crystal my Lord," he said humbly as he glanced up to see another candle light up and the face before him was now clearly illuminated. Pale skin covered what otherwise would have been a handsome face, clear features and a strong jaw, but for his eyes. They seemed so cold and black, even with the flames lighting them up. Their colour was hard to determine, one minute they seemed black, another they had a reddish tinge. Black hair framed the face, long and straight, down to his shoulders. He was tall, taller than Dedra who himself was usually a head taller then most men, and thin. Despite his almost gangly appearance, he gave the impression of being strong. He also looked young, too young to be the ruler of a country and the invader of several others, but on closer inspection you could tell by his jaw line and by his eyes that he was no youth.  
" Do not worry yourself…" Obsequious smiled as he moved out from behind the candles and walked towards Dedra. " I doubted that you would find it…even with your keen vision!" He chuckled but the sound he made was far from pleasant.  
" My lord…?" Dedra's brow furrowed slightly.  
" My father suspected that when the family fled from here…they would have taken the crystal with them…I just wanted to be sure…" His dark eyes became hard for a moment. " Which means that the crystal that was kept here in Aesina…is now probably in Vaniria…" A somewhat evil smirk covered his lips for second. " Now Dedra…do stand up…" His smile became almost benevolent as the man before him rose to his feet once more.  
" Thank you my Lord…" Dedra was almost as tall as he was but his frame was heavier and more toned. His eyes were bright and quick, pale turquoise in colour. His face was clean cut and he wore his hair short, falling in sandy coloured waves on his head, with a small, beard around his mouth. His voice, unlike Obsequious', was confident and had a deep, gravely tone to it. His words usually had a sarcastic tone to them. " Would you like me to check once more…? It may have been in a deeper chamber…"  
" I don't think that will be necessary…" Obsequious sighed. " We'll get it eventually…" Just then the door flap opened to reveal the nervous guard. " Yes…?!" Obsequious' eyes flashed dangerously.  
" My-my-my-my…" He stammered, his eyes fixed on the floor.  
" Spit it out then!" Dedra rolled his pale eyes, " Unless you want me to come over and help you…?" There was a tone in his voice, which the guard clearly understood to be threatening as he swallowed and, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the floor, started again.  
" My Lord…there is a man outside who says he has come with news…about 'The Strangers'…" The guard added nervously on the end. Dedra and Obsequious exchanged intrigued looks.  
" Well then send him in…" Dedra snapped, making the guard jump and march very quickly out of sight.  
" This could be interesting…" Obsequious grinned as a stocky man, with dark hair and small beady eyes appeared in the doorway. His face twitched nervously as he walked inside, obviously expecting something bad to happen. He hadn't expected to be able to just walk into the tent of Obsequious without some kind of problem. The man stooped in a low bow before standing with his head bowed to Obsequious.  
" Egun on, nere izena Petos da…" Petos began before he was cut off.  
" Oh no…" Obsequious tutted and shook his head as he approached the man with snake like grace. " I can't have you talking such gibberish…" Reaching out quickly Obsequious closed his hand around Petos' throat, panic dancing in his beady eyes. Obsequious muttered something under his breath, tightened his hold slightly and then released his grip. " Please…continue…" An evil grin twisted Obsequious' mouth as he stepped back from Petos who was massaging his throat nervously.  
" My lord…I…" Petos frowned in surprise as the words came out of his mouth. Obsequious sat down in a large chair, Dedra standing close by him, motioning for Petos to continue. " My Lord, I am Petos…I have come from the Blue Wood, with news of The Strangers…" Dedra eyed him suspiciously.  
" You are a Meander?" He asked abruptly and Petos nodded, a twisted smile broke onto Dedra's face. " You've travelled a long way…this news must be pretty important for you to have left your tribe and come all this way…alone…unless your loyalties lie somewhere else…"  
" A few days ago…" Petos continued, trying to ignore Dedra's comment. " My tribe found a group of people deep in the woods. We surrounded them but then our _leader_…" He said the word with a look of disgust on his face. " Our leader spoke to me about them…saying that their leader…a young girl…seemed somehow familiar to him. He asked her who she was but she didn't understand him." Petos scoffed for a moment. " Then she realised what he was asking and told him her name…he then got all excited and told us to put down our weapons…"  
" And her name…?" A dark eyebrow raised on Obsequious' pale face.  
" It was Jo, my Lord…" Petos said quietly as Obsequious and Dedra glanced quickly at each other. Petos swallowed nervously as he continued. " Then Glyndwr, our leader, he tried to tell me that this young girl was the Jo of the legend…of course I didn't believe it at first but then…" His round face became pale and his eyes became a little more nervous. " But then she…she put a spell of some kind on him…" Petos glanced up into Obsequious' dark eyes for a second. " Her seal…it showed the stars sir…Glyndwr touched it and began to speak your language…"  
" So the rumours were true…Mithras' had taken a new pupil…" Obsequious muttered to himself.  
" Your leader…this Glyndwr…where is he now…?" Dedra asked slowly.  
" He has joined them…" Petos frowned. " He told the rest of us to return to our homes and that he would contact us should he need us…"  
" So Glyndwr the great Meander has joined our _student_ friends…They must be more desperate than you thought…" Dedra's gravely voice smirked. " These 'strangers'…where were they going…?"  
" She said they were looking for Alvejan the wise…" Petos answered hesitantly.  
" My Lord, they are probably in possession of the crystal left in the woods by now…more than likely given to them by Alvejan…" Dedra whispered anxiously to the pale-faced man.  
" Tell me more about this leader of theirs…this…Jo…" Obsequious' voice was calculating.  
" Well…" Petos thought for a moment. " She seemed to have confidence beyond her years…" He exclaimed. " The Princess Aradia is travelling with them and this Jo…she talked to the Princess like she was an equal…"  
" Maybe she is…" mumbled Obsequious, " Go on…what about her appearance…you said she was a young girl…?" His long, thin fingers playing with the shard of crystal around his neck.  
" Well not exactly a girl…" Petos' beady eyes became thoughtful for a moment as he thought back to his brief meeting with her. " Young certainly…about the same age as the Princess…"  
" Yes, yes…" Obsequious' tone was impatient, " But what did she look like…?"  
" Oh…well…she had long hair…well quite long…I think it…" Petos started but Obsequious clearly didn't have the patience to let him remember. Clutching the crystal in his hand tightly, Obsequious spoke quietly, focusing his eyes on Petos'. A small mist appeared in the centre of the tent, swirling gently. As Obsequious' words grew faster, Petos' eyes became glazed and slowly a face began to appear in the mist. Two green eyes looked out at them all, surrounded by long dark lashes, in a face dusted with freckles across her forehead, cheeks and nose, in which a small crystal stud sparkled. Long, dark hair fell down around the face in waves. Her expression was one of seriousness but a slightly raised eyebrow and a half smile on her lips gave the impression that she was not without humour. A slight smile twisted Obsequious' mouth as he looked at the young face before him.  
" This…this is Jo…?" Dedra's voice had a tone of surprise. " _This_ is the leader we have been taught to fear?!"  
" I wouldn't change that attitude too much Dedra…" Obsequious' eyes were locked on those floating in the mist before them. " She has strength that even _she_ does not know…" Suddenly the mist vanished and Petos' eyes became normal again.  
" So Glyndwr is taking them North…?" Obsequious stood up slowly, prompting Petos to fall to his knees.  
" Y-yes my Lord…the second crystal they seek is rumoured to be at the Lake…" he stammered as Obsequious drew nearer.  
" Well…thank you…for coming to see us…" Obsequious grinned down at the bowed head before him, motioning for Dedra to come closer. " We do appreciate such information…" Petos slowly raised his head to look up at the pale man before him, while Dedra moved around, unseen, behind him.  
" Th-thank you my lord…" Petos said quietly.  
" It is comforting to know that there are some who will change their loyalties when they need to…" Obsequious continued, one eye on Petos, one eye on Dedra who was moving in closer behind him. Silently pulling his sword from its sheath.  
" Y-yes my Lord…" Petos stammered, his face beginning to look worried.  
" But we cannot afford to have you changing your loyalties back again…" His dark eyes shone for a moment as Dedra's sword flashed through the air.  
A moment later Petos body slumped to the floor with a dull thud, blood seeping through the back of his tunic where Dedra had run him though. Obsequious called for assistance and two guards run into the tent and gingerly carried the body away. Once they were alone again,  
" Let me go after them my Lord…" Dedra said thoughtfully, " I will join them if I can…and I can report their progress back to you…" His brow furrowed slightly. " My father was friendly with the Meanders…years ago…I know some of their language and their customs…it shouldn't be too hard to convince them that I am one of them…"  
" A good idea…" Obsequious started, " But don't join them…if you travel to the Lake you should be able to intercept them before they reach the mountains, where they will no doubt go next. Tell them to journey further north, to Ishtar's domain…she has the next crystal they seek…"  
" Ishtar? But she hates Vaniria…always opposed it's ruling of the mountain lands…she will never give up the crystal…" Dedra started before catching sight of the glint in Obsequious' eye.  
" I'm sure Ishtar will give them a _royal_ welcome!" he cackled to himself for a moment. " Send them into the mountains but do not go with them…I have another task for you…" Obsequious eyes flickered for a moment with what Dedra believed to be delight. " There's someone I want to have a word with…you must go and get them for me…"  
" As you wish my lord…" Intrigue glowed in Dedra's eye for a moment but he knew better than to ask Obsequious just whom he would be fetching. He would find out soon enough.  
" I, myself, will return to the Swamplands…once the Strangers are headed for the mountains you must return immediately," Dedra bowed and started to make his way out of the tent. Obsequious called out behind him, his words causing him to halt.  
" Beware of their leader Dedra, she may only be a young woman but her powers may surpass even my own. Be careful she doesn't see you for who you truly are…" Dedra paused before continuing out of the tent. Now by himself, Obsequious sat back down in the chair, an almost concerned expression on his face. The Strangers now had at least one crystal and by the time Dedra reached them, they would probably have a second. Closing his eyes for a moment he pictured the face that had appeared in the mist of Petos' memory. Those piercing green eyes looked straight at him and a sigh escaped his lips. " Aah…my dear Jo…" His dark, cold eyes flicked open once more, a cruel smile on his lips once more. " Yes, you have powers you don't even realise…powers that even I can't resist!" Laughing to himself, he rose out of the chair and towards the flap of the tent. It was time to return to his homeland and prepare for another invasion.


	23. PART 59

The journey north was hard. Much harder than they had expected it to be, for a multitude of reasons. The group of friends had trekked through the Blue Woods for three days before they had managed to break out of the trees and back into bright sunlight one more. Glyndwr had admirably led the way and despite the cold, the darkness and Aradia's occasional (and thankfully quiet) grumble; that part of the journey had been easy enough.  
But it was once they had left the trees behind them that the real problems began.  
As the friends rested for a few minutes, having recently left the blue and purple trees behind them. Jo nervously cleared her throat. Glancing around at her traveling companions, laying or sat on the ground, tired but smiling, she almost decided to leave her announcement about Alvejan's true identity for another time. Why cause possible problems? Phillipe obviously hadn't recognized Alvejan so why tell him now. But her mind was made up for her. By Phillipe.  
" You know…" He murmured to himself more than to anyone specific. " I can't help thinking…Alvejan seemed to so familiar at times…" His pale eyes narrowed for a moment as Jo's head sunk into her hands. No choice about it. She would have to tell him.  
" A memory stirs…" The ears of the first five to come through the red Gyratory pricked up as Phillipe's quiet voice came through the air. " He makes me think of a man…" Phillipe stroked his chin, clearly immersed completely in his musings. Rosie exchanged a glance with Jo, a look that combined hope and nerves. If Phillipe worked it out for himself they would have two options. Laugh and pretend he was talking nonsense or tell him the truth. The second option was the honourable one, but it was also the option that would cause them the most problems. If Valjean had crossed Phillipe's mind then it was possible he may revert to his old obsessive ways and pursue him as he had once done. In the days when his title was Inspector Javert, never Phillipe.  
A weighty silence hung in the air. Many of the friends were oblivious to its cause but no one could ignore the almost anxious feel to the air surrounding them all.  
" Who…who does…?" Jo finally said, after what felt like hours had passed. Phillipe's pale eyes continued to look into the distance as if watching a memory play out in front of him.  
" A man from years ago…" Phillipe continued in that same distant voice. " A man who…"  
" Phillipe?! Who reminds you of what…?" Jo asked louder, snapping Phillipe out of his daze.  
" Wha…what?" Phillipe looked stunned for a second and then a familiar frown covered his face. " Oh it's just that that Alvejan reminded me of someone… that's all…"  
" Well now that you come to mention it…he did seem kinda familiar…" Mark mumbled, hoping to prompt Jo into putting Phillipe out of his misery. Jo glanced at Mark and glared him, he merely shrugged and gestured for her to continue.  
" Phillipe…" Jo sighed, laying a hand on his forearm. " There's something about Alvejan that you probably should know…you see…" Jo swallowed nervously as Phillipe's pale green eyes bored into hers. " Alvejan…he…well…that's not his real name…" Biting her lip Jo rubbed her forehead, as she always did when having to explain something that wasn't simple. " And he seems so familiar to you because…because…" Jo closed her eyes. " Because you used to know him…a long time ago…" Opening her eyes Jo saw that the distant look had returned to Phillipe's eyes.  
" A man who…broke his parole…he disappeared…" His eyes became wide as the realization hit him, looking at Jo with disbelief. " Can it be…?"  
" His name is…" Jo started but Phillipe's baritone voice cut her off.  
" Valjean…Jean Valjean…" He muttered as his surprised gaze became dark once more.  
" Who?!" Martin's face bore a look of complete confusion.  
" Alvejan is…who?!" Amos sat up slightly, his face wearing a frown instead of its usual happy grin.  
" Who's Valjean?!" frowned Simon, carelessly playing with a small knife in his hands.  
" You what?!" Marius shrieked somewhat loudly. He swallowed for a moment, brow furrowed and his mouth moving silently. " What do you mean? Alvejan is Valjean? How the hell did he get here?!"  
" Ok…don't know and don't shout at me…" Jo said firmly. " I'm guessing he got here in pretty much the same way we did…"  
" Can I just ask something…?" Glyndwr asked quietly, " How _did_ you get here…?" A loud groan from the friends answered him.  
" We'll tell you all about it later…" Lucy groaned, " But right now let's just deal with this…er…problem, first!"  
" But how can it be him…?" Phillipe stood up and began to pace up and down, his hands clasped behind him. A frown on his face.  
" Well…it _is_ him…" Jo said in what she hoped was a gentle tone, " I guess he just found his way here as we did…"  
" I suppose…" Phillipe stopped his pacing and his frown darkened for a second as he added quietly, " I suppose…he couldn't run forever…not even Jean Valjean…"  
" Er…Phillipe?" Jenny's voice was nervous. " Now that you know…well…who he really is…" She swallowed noisily. " You're not….you're not…"  
" You're not going to do anything _stupid_ are you…?" Rosie asked firmly. Phillipe looked down at Rosie, his pale eyes burning with some strange kind of dangerous light and when he spoke it was as if he was struggling to fight something deep inside of himself.  
" Stupid?! What you mean like letting him go?!" Phillipe sneered as Jo smacked herself on the forehead in the background.  
" We never should have told him! I knew we should have kept this to ourselves…!" she grumbled as Phillipe continued.  
" How can I now allow this man…this desperate men whom I have hunted…" He spat but Guillaume's voice stopped him mid rant.  
" I don't really know what's going on here…but from what you've been saying this Valjean, or whatever he's called, is someone from your past…am I correct?"  
" Yes…" Phillipe glared at Guillaume. " A man who broke his parole…I have known the _thief_ for ages, tracked him down through thick and thin…"  
" So…if that was then…why not let it go…"  
" Let it go?!" Phillipe was enraged but Guillaume continued, not allowing his own voice to rise above a calm tone.  
" We have a bigger task at hand now than to let petty arguments stand in our way…Martin and I put our dispute aside long ago, even you and I have had our differences…and it's obvious Alve…Valjean bears you no ill will so…" A loud laugh came from Phillipe.  
" And so…the man of mercy comes again!" His pale eyes sparkled menacingly. " I was the law and the law is not mocked! I'll spit his _pity_ right back in his face there is nothing on earth that we share…it is either Valjean or Javert!!"  
The sound of a slap rang through the air. A gasp ran around the group. Jo had obviously heard enough and had marched up to the towering man and slapped his face, hard. He raised a hand to his stinging cheek and looked down at Jo, whose face was flushed and whose eyes shone with tears.  
" That's enough…" She said quietly, after a moment.  
" But Jo…I…you don't…" Phillipe started but Jo held up a hand to stop him.  
"'It is either Valjean or Javert!'" She repeated, shaking her head sadly. " Phillipe, for you _are_ Phillipe now…Javert is a person you once were, Phillipe you must let this go. Alvejan is not the man he once was, he has changed just as you have!"  
There was no sound. The shock of what had just happened was too much for some of the friends, Bertrande felt tears leaking from her eyes and Mark put an arm around her shoulders, Aradia was stood opened mouthed looking from Jo to Phillipe and then back again, all the colour had drained from Lina's face and she stood shaking watching Jo and Phillipe with frightened eyes. Slowly, the eerie light in Phillipe's eyes faded away and his face changed from one enraged to one of guilt and sorrow. A tear slowly built up and fell from one of his eyes.  
" I…I'm sorry Jo…" his voice was now cracked and quiet. Jo smiled weakly and squeezed his hand, a tear of relief falling from her own eye.  
" Now then…" Jo said gently. " If there are no more fights that need to take place, no more character revealing revelations…does anyone mind if we get moving…we have a crystal to find!"

* * * * * 

The friends began on their journey once again and it became clear after walking for an hour or so that the ground they were traveling across was on a steady incline. An incline that was gradually becoming steeper, eventually becoming a very steep hill. Amidst groans about blisters and aching calf muscles, Jo urged them on,  
" I'm sure that the lake is on the other side of this hill…" Jo said somewhat out of breath as they rested for a moment.  
" You said that…about…the other…two…hills…" panted Simon, wiping sweat from his brow. Lina slipped her pack from her back and let it drop to the floor.  
" Give me a minute to get my breath…and I'll fly on ahead and check…" Her pale face was unusually flushed, as were the faces of all the friends. They had been glad of the warm and the sunlight when they had first left the darkness of the woods but now, the merciless sun was proving to be more of a hindrance than anything else.  
" Don't worry Lina…" Jo smiled, " There's no point in you wasting your energy when all we have to do is climb for a little bit longer and then we'll be able to see for ourselves…"  
" But Jo…" whined Marius.  
" No…she's right…it's only a little further…" Aradia said firmly standing up and readjusting the pack on her back. Surprised faces surrounded her, not least of all Jo's. Aradia was one of the last people she expected to agree with her so strongly, especially about climbing up hills!  
" Fine…!" Marius groaned as he stood up next to the Princess. The others stood up, adjusted themselves before starting once again up the hill.  
Climbing ever onwards, it felt like their calf muscles were being wrenched from the backs of their legs with every step, there was silence among the friends. They were too busy trying to concentrate on breathing and climbing to engage in conversation.  
Panting, with most of them clutching at stitches in their sides, the friends reached the crest of the hill. Glancing around furtively they could see nothing but more hills,  
" Nothing…" Bertrande sank to her knees with a groan, followed quickly by most of the others. " There's nothing for miles…"  
" You know what…" Amos flopped onto his back. " I'm beginning to wonder if this map is entirely accurate."  
" You're only saying that because you fell in that ditch!" grinned Jenny, wiping some mud from his forehead.  
" Yeah…well…if it had been on that map…I wouldn't have fallen in it would I?" Amos retorted.  
" If you'd been looking where you were going instead of trying to keep your cloak from getting dirty then you wouldn't have either!" smirked Guillaume.  
" I'm sure it was this hill…" Phillipe frowned, standing next to Jo, as he pulled out the map from his pocket and studied it furiously.  
" Well it can't be too far away can it…" Jo glanced from the map to the view and then at the map again.  
" It's been a while since I visited it but I'm sure it's near here…" Glyndwr's eyes scanned the horizon, looking for something familiar.  
" I can see it…" Martin cried from over Jo's shoulder.  
" Yeah so can I…" she groaned pointed at the map.  
" Not there! There! Look…down there!" Martin was pointing excitedly down below them. The friends stood up and followed his gaze. Jo, Phillipe and Glyndwr looked over the map and smiles slowly spread across their faces. Glistening down below them was the Lake.  
" You were right Phillipe…" sighed Jo happily, as her eyes looked down at the sight below. " Come on you lot…!" She grinned as she shouldered her pack and with renewed vigor they practically marched down the hill and towards the clear blue waters.  
Their quick march down the steep hillside became something of a race. Laughter broke out as the friends dashed towards the shimmering waters before them. Throwing their packs aside the friends dove into the refreshingly cool lake. Shrieks of laughter and sighs of comfort filled the air as the friends swam or splashed each other. After a few minutes the friends made their way back onto dry land and collapsed on the shoreline letting the warm sunshine dry them off.  
After a few moments of blissful relaxation the friends sat up and began to look around them. The lake was surrounded by large hills, which they could see were increasing in size to form what no one doubt would be classed as mountains. There were a few trees here and there, which the friends noticed to be covered in reassuringly green foliage. Although it seemed it wasn't just the leaves that were green, the tree trunks seemed to be covered in greeny-coloured bark.  
" So…oh map bearer…" grinned Lina, " Where's this crystal then…?" Phillipe pulled the map out of his pack and looked at it, frowned and then looked closer.  
" Well…?" Jo asked, lying on her back, looking up in to the sky.  
" I…er…well…maybe you should have a look Guillaume…" Phillipe handed the map over to a confused looking Guillaume who, after a moment's examination, frowned and looked over at Phillipe.  
" I'm looking for one of those little blue stars right…?" He asked and Phillipe nodded.  
" Well…?" Jo repeated, shielding her eyes with her hand as she glanced up at Guillaume. " Where is it then?" She sat up slowly.  
" I think you might want to look at the map yourself…" Guillaume said carefully, handing the map over to Jo. With a look of complete confusion Jo looked down at the map in her hands. There was the lake, a few green shapes around it representing the trees, the hills were marked by hatched lines and the crystal…  
" It's not on here…" Jo said quietly.  
" What?!" came the disgruntled and some what annoyed response from everyone else.  
" What do you mean…it's not on there! Of course it is!" Aradia said firmly, Jo held up the map to her face.  
" Well I don't see it anywhere…can you?!" Jo handed the map back to Phillipe, a slight frown on her face as Aradia looked at her with disdain.  
" But the lake…Alvejan said it would…" Jenny started but stopped quickly as Phillipe's face grew dark again for a second.  
" And before you start railing on about how we must have been tricked by Valjean…" Marius said with a smirk. " If you'll remember Phillipe, Madam Lamim told us that the second crystal was last known to be here as well…" The frown quickly vanished from Phillipe's face as quiet laughter filled the air from the other friends.  
" But that still doesn't tell us where it is…" Lucy said after a moments pause. The friends laid back down on the grass and thought. There was no sign of anyone nearby, it was possible that they had found the wrong lake but Glyndwr assured them that this was the largest lake in this area and would therefore be the one marked on the map.  
" Oh it's useless!" Phillipe growled as he laid back and tossed the map into the air. It gracefully floated down and landed on his face. Suddenly a loud exclamation of triumph came from Philllipe, causing the friends to sit up again quickly. Phillipe's face was practically beaming. " I've got it! I know where the crystal is!" he grinned.


	24. PART 60

" Where?! Where is it then?!" Rosie was practically bouncing up and down with excitement as the rest of the friends clustered around Phillipe, who was grinning from ear to ear.  
" Well…?" Jo's eyes were wide as she looked up into his elated face.  
" It's right there!" He smiled, showing them the map in his large hands.  
" Er…not to sound stupid…" Simon started.  
" Too late!" smirked Amos, who then received a sharp dig in the ribs courtesy of Simon.  
"…But I still don't see it anywhere…" Simon continued before sticking his tongue out at Amos, who retaliated by blowing a raspberry at him.  
" Oh would you two grow up for a minute!" Lina tapped each of them on the back of their heads. " This is important!"  
" I…I don't see it either…" Guillaume frowned, scrutinising the map. Phillipe's grin grew wider as one by one the friends all failed to pinpoint the crystal's location on the map. Jo frowned alongside him slightly and glanced sideways at Phillipe.  
" And you're sure you spotted it…on here…?" Jo's frown grew deeper as he nodded to the affirmative.  
" Ok…Jo come and stand in front of me…" Phillipe directed her to stand a foot or so before him and he held the map across his chest at eye level with her. " See it…?" He raised a heavy eyebrow as Jo studied the map closely and then sighed, exasperated.  
" No! Phillipe…this is…" Jo started but Phillipe lifted up the map so that it was above her head, over it in fact.   
" Now…do you see it…?" He smiled as Jo looked up and realisation spread across her face, wiping the frown away.  
" Phillipe you're a genius!" She grinned, looking back at the others triumphantly.  
Phillipe blushed slightly as he held the map up in the air for the others to look at. One by one they looked up and their faces of curiosity became smiles. When the map was held up to the sunlight, parts of the paper seemed thinner than others and where the lake was marked there was a star clearly visible.  
" Like the watermarks on money back home…" smiled Mark.  
" Like what?!" frowned most of the friends around him.  
" Never mind!" Mark shrugged happily.  
" So it's _in_ the lake then…" Lina mused, looking at the deep waters before them. " But where exactly, I mean this is a pretty big lake…"  
" Well, the star mark is at this end of it so I'm guessing….it's at this end…" Phillipe said slowly. A period of quiet followed as the friends surveyed the lake.  
" So…who's going to try and get it…?" Simon asked, a hand nervously touching the carefully created spikes upon his head.  
" I'll try…" Lucy's voice came through the awkward quiet. " I can't promise anything…but I'll try…" She smiled softly.  
" You sure…?" Jo looked into Lucy's dark eyes for a moment, " You don't have to…" Lucy grinned back.  
" I know I don't have to, but I want to…"  
" You _can_ swim…can't you…." Martin said, concern edging his voice.  
" Yes…I can swim perfectly well thank you…" Lucy sighed as she slipped off her cloak. " Wait…how am I going to see what I'm doing…in there…" Lucy pointed at the water before them all. " It looks quite deep so it's going to be dark too…"  
" Anything you can think of Jo…? Any spells…?" Guillaume asked but Jo shook her head.  
" Nothing comes to mind right now…" She said sadly.  
" Hang on…Martin, give me your seal for a moment…" Lucy held out her hand.  
" Why…?" Martin pouted for a second as he unclipped the seal from the inside of his tunic. " What do you need it for…can't you use yours…?" Taking it Lucy rolled her dark eyes and flicked some of her long curly hair back over her shoulder.  
" Don't you remember what Eos said to you…" Lucy said impatiently, holding his seal tightly in her hand. " About standing up the flames of hatred and stuff back in Artigat…"  
" Well yeah…but that was about my cloak…" Martin's young face frowned, he pulled some of his own shoulder length dark hair behind an ear. " Why…" He added suspiciously, " What do you think it has got to do with my seal..?" Lucy was kneeling down next to the water's edge, Martin's seal held just above the water.  
" I don't know…it's just an idea….but I doubt that she would have told all that if it was just to explain why your cloaks lined with orange material…" She glanced back over her shoulder at him with what she hoped was a reassuring smile before thrusting her hand, with the seal, into the cool water.  
There was a flash and then the friends gasped, for the seal seemed to be glowing under the surface of the water. Almost as if it's flickering light was created by a flame.  
" Good thinking…" Rosie grinned, slapping her friend on the shoulder.  
" But how did you know…I mean…" Jenny frowned slightly as a smile lifted her mouth.  
" Just an idea…" Lucy grinned up at her. " A feeling I guess…oh I don't know…"  
" I understand…" Jo smiled and winked quickly.  
" Well then…wish me luck…" Lucy said with a determined smile as she began to wade out into the lake. Soon the cool waters had reached her shoulders and turning briefly to wave at the others on dry land, she took a deep breath and dove under the surface. She held her hand outstretched with Martin's glimmering seal lighting the water around her.  
The first thing Lucy was aware of was just how cold it was. It seemed as if the sunlight simply couldn't penetrate the gloomy depths of the lake to illuminate it, let alone warm it. Kicking harder with her legs she swam deeper, trying to ignore the burning sensation starting to tickle her throat from having held her breath for so long. A small fish, or an animal, or something, swam past her face, causing her to start and utter a silent cry of shock.  
Cursing to herself she watched the bubbles of wasted air floating up and away, towards the surface. Lucy knew she wouldn't be able to swim for much longer, her precious oxygen supplies were running out. Just as she was about to give up and swim back to the surface…she saw something. The flickering gleam of Martin's seal had reflected off of something. With her dark eyes narrowed slightly, Lucy swam hard and fast in the direction of the reflection. Then she saw it again, a bright flash coming from straight ahead. A large chunk of crystal was resting on a bank of mud. She must be practically at the bottom of the lake she thought worriedly, casting her eyes upwards for a second and seeing the glimmer of sunlight seemed to very far above her. Clipping Martin's seal onto the front of her tunic she tried to get a firm hold on the crystal. This one was big. Bigger than the crystal Alvejan had given them. This one was about the size of a large melon and as she puts her hands around it to try and lift it, she discovered it was also a lot sharper than the other one had been. Struggling against the weight of the rock in her hands Lucy tried to swim upwards, to the surface of the lake. In getting the crystal she had lost her sense of direction, she couldn't remember which way she had come from. Her lungs were starting to burn now and grinding her teeth Lucy decided her best bet was to swim along the lake's floor and hope that the shallows were not too far away. Soon she started to feel light headed and her grip on the crystal kept slipping. It was becoming increasingly hard to fight the urge to breath, knowing that if she did the quest, for her at least, would be over. Steeling herself she continued, kicking with all her might, powering through the water when suddenly she could hear sounds in the water. Listening hard she realised it was the sounds of the waves reaching the shore, with her last ounce of energy Lucy pushed herself even harder and shot to the surface. Bursting through it she gasped at the air, her feet found the ground as she squinted in the sudden brightness the sounds of her friend's voices filled the air. The next thing she knew someone was beside her, helping her with the heavy crystal piece.  
Martin had splashed out into the lake to help Lucy bring the retrieved crystal to the shoreline. Triumphant yells and shouts of "Well done!" (as well as a few "Woo hoo"s from Rosie!) filled the air. As Lucy appeared on dry land once more, Lina quickly picked up Lucy's lined cloak from the ground and wrapped it around her wet shoulders. She was shaking from the cold and exhaustion but her eyes were bright with excitement and a wide smile lit up her face. Her hands, which held the crystal tightly, the friends noticed were covered in cuts from the sharp edges of the stone.  
" Oh my god….you'd been under for so long…" Jenny fussed, trying to dry her dark hair with the hood of her cloak.  
" We were starting to panic a bit…." Jo smiled warmly at her friend.  
" Y-y-y-you and me b-b-both!!" She shivered with a grin. " H-h-h-here you go Jo…" Lucy stammered as she held out the crystal chunk in her shaking hands. Jo glanced down at it and then back up into Lucy's brown eyes.  
" I think you should carry it Lucy…" her voice was firm.  
" But J-j-j-jo…I…" Lucy started.  
" Look at it this way…" Jo tried to explain to the highly sceptical looking faces around her. " If we keep the crystals separate, if different people carry them, then there's less chance of us losing them _all_ to someone should one of us be…well…" Jo swallowed nervously. " In case one of us is…captured or something…" A nervous silence hung in the air, the only sound was the occasional drip of water from Lucy's still wet hair as the friends mulled over Jo's suggestion.  
" I think it's a good idea…" Rosie grinned. " Those who find them, carry them."  
" S-s-s-sounds ok to me…" Lucy said finally, kneeling down to put the crystal chunk into her pack. She glanced up at Jo, " But if the pieces get much bigger then this one…I'm telling you now…I'm n-n-n-not going to carry them!" She lifted the pack onto her shoulder with a small groan as the friends headed away from the lakeside. Jo smirked,  
" If the pieces get much bigger than that one then no one'll be carrying them!"  
Soon the friends had a large campfire burning and as the sunset, the huddled closer to the flames and each other. Gradually tiredness began to touch them all and after they had eaten, some of the provisions given to them by Alvejan and some berries that Glyndwr had found close by, Jo noticed that there was less and less conversation taking place. And what little conversation that was taking place was increasingly punctuated with yawns.  
" Well…" she said suddenly, making Martin jump. He'd all but fallen asleep sat alongside Lucy. " I think it's time we all got some sleep…but I think we should organise some kind of…I don't know…watch…or guard…or something…"  
" Watch…?" Bertrande yawned, rubbing at her sky blue eyes.  
" Well, we're out in the open here…" Jo gestured around at the darkness that surrounded them, " And should anyone be lurking out there somewhere…"  
" Way to go Jo!" Mark smirked, " Give us all nightmares why don't you!"  
" **If** there's anyone lurking out there…" Jo continued firmly, " We'll be easy to spot…!"  
Silence followed while the friends digested this new idea. Eye were now darting around the blackness, shining with nerves.  
" Well I think it's a good idea…" Aradia said, just as firmly as Jo had. " But I think we should do it in pairs…that way if one nods off…"  
" Good thinking your highness," Lina smiled. " Simon and I will volunteer for the first shift…"  
" Oh will we?!" Simon grumbled next to her.  
" How long shall we make the shifts…?" Rosie's eyes watered as she tried to stifle a yawn.  
" Erm…well we don't have a watch handy…" Jenny grinned.  
" Well, just stay awake for as long as you can…" Jo began, " But not too long…we all need our rest…" she smiled "…When you feel that you've been up long enough…wake up the next pair!"  
" Marius and I will take the shift after Lina and Simon…" Rosie said after a minute's consultation with her fiancé.  
" And I'll do that shift after that…" Glyndwr offered, " But who'll…"  
" I'll stay awake with you," Guillaume added quietly.  
" Alright then…" Jo yawned herself, " After that, just wake up two people who haven't been up yet!" So the group bid each other 'Goodnight' and everyone but Lina and Simon settled down to sleep.

* * * * *

The night passed uneventfully enough for the most part. Simon and Lina's watch was uninterrupted, with Simon spending most of it asleep and resting his head on Lina's shoulder. She, however, had her keen eyes open constantly and when she felt Simon shivering in his sleep she knew it was time for them to wake up the next pair and move closer to the fire. Like Lina and Simon before them, Marius and Rosie found their shift to be very quiet and it passed quickly enough, the pair of them sat with their arms around each other, cloaks firmly wrapped around them to keep out the cold night air. It felt like they had only been sat there for a few minutes when Guillaume appeared close by and told them that he and Glyndwr would take over. But Marius and Rosie were too tired to argue and as they moved away to be nearer to the others, Guillaume and Glyndwr sat with their backs to each other. Leaning one against the other.  
The night air around them was cool and still, stars hung overhead, suspended in the endless night. Then a noise shattered the peace. A scream rang out in the darkness. Glyndwr and Guillaume leapt to their feet, casting each other nervous glances as they drew their swords and headed in the direction of the sound, back towards the others and their makeshift 'camp'. Another cry split the air and Guillaume's pace doubled as he recognised the voice calling out. The screams that had carried on the air and which had now awoken the rest of the friends, were Jo's.  
He ran over to where he had left her sleeping and dropped to his knees. She was laying as he had left her when he had begin his shift of the watch but now her eyes were wide open. She seemed to be fighting against something (or someone) in her sleep, her hands kept clawing at thin air and her face was deathly pale. Every so often she would twitch her head and cry out.  
" What's wrong with her…?!" Guillaume demanded as the others slowly appeared, fear and confusion written on all their faces. " Jo? Jo…?" He reached out to take hold of her, hoping to maybe shake her out of the eerie trance that seemed to have gotten hold of her. Or at least comfort her, stop her terrified screams.  
" Guillaume don't!" Jenny's voice called firmly through the darkness. He froze and looked around at her, desperation shining in his eyes.  
"But why…?" He started.  
" She's dreaming…"Lucy said quietly, kneeling next to him. " It can make things worse to wake people when they're…well…like Jo is now…"  
" I thought it was only dangerous to wake sleep walkers…" Mark frowned.  
" Same thing…"Rosie said matter of factly.  
" But…why…?" Guillaume repeated, his hand hovering over Jo's, his expression one of increasing worry. A comforting hand was placed on his shoulder,  
" It's a night mare…that's all…" Aradia's voice was unusually gentle.  
" I think it's a night terror…" Lucy mused.  
" The difference being…?!" Aradia snapped, all prior gentleness vanishing.  
" Well…we covered dreams briefly in Psychology at college, nightmares happen in the REM cycle…" Noticing the sea of bemused faces before her, Lucy tried again, "…the dream part of sleep. Jo hasn't been asleep long enough to be experiencing that yet…" Lucy said quietly, glancing into the Princess' lilac eyes. There was a tinge of almost sadness there, was this anger perhaps…concern? Before she could think any more about it,  
" But her eyes…!" Simon swallowed, " You're sure she's asleep…?"  
" Her eyes may be open, but she's definitely not awake. When she does wake up though, if this is a night terror…she'll have absolutely no recollection of this episode…" Lucy added "…other than maybe a sense of fear."  
" So we can't _do_ anything…" Guillaume looked close to either bursting into tears or hitting something. Possibly both. He tried to take hold of Jo's hand but she was moving that much he could only get hold of her wrist. Shock covered his face.  
"Something's wrong…her heart…it's going too fast…" His eyes were wider than ever.  
" It's all because of this night terror…just let her scream it out…"Jenny tried to reassure him. Just as Jenny finished speaking, Jo screamed. A scream so piercing and shrill it echoed around the valley in which they were camping. Wrenching her arm from Guillaume's hand, her fists began pummelling the air above her. Her eyes wider than ever. Her mouth was now constantly moving and she was speaking, but her words weren't always discernable. Every now and then the friends would pick out the odd phrase.  
" No…I won't…" Jo's face changed to one of anger and tears shone in her unblinking eyes. "…Je ne laisserai pas elle…"  
" What?!" Mark's frown deepened.  
" She said 'I won't leave her'…" Rosie whispered. " Who's she talking about…?" Rosie voice the question burning at the front of all their minds.  
"…you can't make me…" Jo continued to shout, "…no…!"  
Guillaume was becoming increasingly worried. With every shout to leave Jo's lips he instinctively reached out to touch her, reassure her, but he had to force himself to hold back.  
The friends watched in stunned silence as Jo fought against whatever terror it was that plagued her dream. Screams and cries split the air sporadically as the terror passed. Then, with one final cry, the terror seemed to be over. Jo's eyes slipped shut and her arms fell back down by her sides. A little colour returned to her face and then, with a frown, Jo's eyes fluttered open and she sat up. Glancing around at the friends surrounding her, concern mingled with relief on all their faces. None more so than Guillaume, who actually looked close to tears.  
" What's…what's going on…?" Jo frowned, shivering in spite of herself.  
" You…"Guillaume started.  
" You were talking in your sleep…" Phillipe said gently in what he hoped was a happy tone.  
" Talking?! More like yelling!" Martin tried to grin.  
" Did I wake you up?" Jo looked shocked as her shivers got a little worse.  
" Yeah…just a bit…!" Amos winked at her.  
" But I…I don't remember dreaming…" She frowned once more, " But then again…" The frown deepened. " I feel…" Jo struggled to find the word. " …I feel cold…frightened cold…" Guillaume put an arm around her shoulders and she fell into his embrace, "…frightened cold…" she muttered with a yawn as she closed her eyes once more.  
" I think it's over…" Marius sighed quietly.  
" There's nothing any of you can do now…all of you, go back to sleep…get some rest…" Guillaume said softly, gathering Jo up tightly in his arms. " She'll be alright now…" And so the friends returned to their make shift beds, Glyndwr returned to keep watch and Guillaume sat with Jo until her shaking stopped and she drifted into an apparently dreamless sleep.  
The following morning the friends breakfasted in near silence. It seemed no one wanted to talk about the previous night's events. Nervous eyes flashed from people's food, to Jo and then back again. Bertrande opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it. As did Rosie. And then Guillaume.  
" Alright…that's enough…!" Jo said suddenly making everyone jump. " Let's not get all silly about this…I had a nightmare…big deal!" Jo stood up and tried to smile, even though smiling could do nothing to hide the unusual paleness her face had or the darkened patches under her eyes. " I can't even remember the bloody thing…" She continued, " So please, don't let's dwell on it eh?" She looked around hopefully at the faces surrounding her. " It's not like anything bad has happened because of it…"  
" Unless you count being awoken in the middle of the night by the screams of your best friend as a bad thing!" Mark grinned and at last, the nervous atmosphere seemed to dissipate. After they had finished eating the friends packed up their belongings and began their journey once again. According the map, read faithfully by Phillipe, the third crystal was in the mountains to the North, so that was the direction they headed in. The valley they had camped in was lush and green and, being flat, made for easy walking. Within a matter of hours they were approaching the sloping hills that gradually grew to become mountains in the distance. Rocks and boulders littered the ground here as the grass gave way to dust and grit and rock. And was from behind one of these boulders that the friends had an unknown audience.  
Dedra watched as the group made their way across the valley, gradually drawing nearer to him. He had to attract their attention somehow. Glancing around furtively, Dedra searched for something to use as a diversion. Something, anything. Some distraction he could use to bring the friends over to him. He cursed under his breath as he failed to spot something. Glancing around the rocks that currently concealed his position, he noticed that they were closer still and if he didn't do something soon they would pass right by him and then he would be in trouble. Trouble. That was it. Pretend to be in trouble. Looking up he saw a shelf of jagged rocks that signalled the start of the mountains. He could have fallen. Pulling out a small dagger, and closing his eyes tightly, he thrust the blade into his leg and pulled it downwards. Pain screamed through him as he created a gash running from just below his knee to his ankle. All the while Dedra tried to convince himself that his lord and master would make this sacrifice of his worthwhile. Somehow. Grinding his teeth against the stinging pain and trying to fight the waves of dizziness washing over him, he wiped the blade clean and put the dagger back into it's sheath. He dropped to the floor and, with eyes watering, he rubbed grit and dirt from the floor on his clothes and into the wound. He dragged his hands back and forth along the ground, making cuts and scratches on his knuckles. He tossed some dust into his blonde hair and onto his face and then, in a voice that finally allowed him to release the cries of pain he had had to contain, he cried out for help.

* * * * *

" Lagunda!" A voice came through the air. The friends froze, hands shooting to their weapons and their eyes darting around them.  
" What was that?!" frowned Marius, drawing his sword.  
" I don't know…" Glyndwr frowned, " But whoever they are…"  
" Lagunda!" The cry came through the air again, an even more urgent tone to the voice this time.  
" They're speaking my language…and that's a cry for help…" Glyndwr's bright eyes flashed around, trying to locate the source of the sound.  
" It could be a trap…" Lina said quietly to Jo. The others all looked in the same direction, awaiting a decision from her.  
" Well, from the sounds of it…there is only one of them and fifteen of us and they need help…so I say…" Jo paused for a moment. " I say we go and find them and try and help…if it _is_ a trap then I'm sure we'll be able to handle it…" Jo smiled grimly. " Lina…any chance you can…you know…" Jo pointed to the sky, " You'll be able to spot them long before we do!" Lina smiled warmly before dropping her pack and kicking off into the air. She shot up into the sky and hovered about the friends, looking one way and then the other.  
" I think they're over there…" Lina yelled, pointing at some large boulders to their right, as she started to fly in the same direction. The others on the ground started after her, watching as she hovered over the rocks and boulders. Scouring them for the person in need of assistance. Suddenly she cried, " They're here!" The friends broke into a run as Lina flew lower and lower until she was hovering a few feet off the ground. As the others approached they saw her pull her bow and arrow from her back and aim it at whoever was behind the boulder.  
" Doesn't bode well does it…?!" Phillipe said grimly as the friends reached for their own swords and bows. Jo's sword remained in its scabbard.  
" Let's be sensible about this…" She said quietly as they drew nearer to Lina. " If she was in any danger she would have fired by now…she's just being careful…" Jo's face wore an expression of confidence but wariness shone in her eyes. " Just…keep your eyes open…" She muttered as they rounded the boulder.  
"…Jesus…"mumbled Marius as the friends looked down at the man laying on the ground before them. He was covered in dust and grit and there were cuts all over his hands. But the really worrying thing was the injury to his leg. It had been ripped open by something and was bleeding heavily. Jo looked away from the wound and into his face. Two intelligent eyes met hers, turquoise in colour and bright with pain. But something else also glimmered there. Something in his eyes was familiar…  
" Lagunda…?" The man gasped, wincing as he moved his injured leg. His eyes looking at each of them in turn.  
" Zer gertakzen da?"* Glyndwr asked firmly, the blonde haired man on the ground gestured to his leg and then to the rocks above them. " I don't think he speaks my language fluently…" Glyndwr muttered.  
" Did you fall…?" Bertrande asked, the man merely looked at her. He hadn't understood. " Did…you…" Bertrande spoke slowly and gestured vigorously at him, "…fall…?" She pointed up at the rocks and then down at the floor. The blonde man nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face.  
" Fall…" He repeated.  
" Well…what do we do…?" Lina landed delicately next to Jo, who tore her gaze from the face of the wounded man, looked into the young warrior's face and shrugged.  
" I dunno…" Jo looked back down at the man on the floor. " I guess we should find out who he is…first…" She said strongly, noting the intelligent gleam shine in his eyes. She was sure he had understood at least some of what she had said.  
" Nor zara zu…?" Glyndwr asked, the blonde man looked up at him and shrugged.  
" Who…are…you…?" Rosie asked slowly. Once again the man couldn't answer.  
" Oh this is stupid…" Jo rolled her eyes and stepped closer to the man. " Who are you and what do you want?" Jo's voice was firm and edged with a threatening tone. The stranger looked Jo up and down, his pale turquoise eyes sparkling. Taking in the sword, still sheathed but whose handle was held tightly in her hands, as well as the determined look upon her face. He appeared to be thinking. Weighing up his options perhaps. (Dedra was in fact trying to think of a suitable name for himself.)  
" Er…Aitor…" He said quietly, gesturing to himself.  
" I knew he could understand us…" Jo said triumphantly. " Do you speak English…?" She said to him. He made a wavy gesture with his hand known the world over as 'kind of'. " And your name is Aitor…" He nodded. " Well first things first…I suppose we should take a look at that leg of yours…" Jo crouched down to put her pack on the floor and after a moment's rifling, found a small bandage and a water bottle. She moved nearer to him and knelt on the floor. Guillaume tensed visibly and his grip on his sword tightened so that his knuckles were now white. Jo glanced up at him and winked. " Aitor's not going to try anything are you…because you're out numbered fifteen to one for starters…plus…people don't try to attack people who are trying to help them…do they?" Jo turned back to Aitor, an eyebrow raised. He shook his head quickly and shot a worried look at Guillaume. " Now then…this might hurt a bit…" Jo said taking the lid off the water bottle, holding his leg gently and pouring some water over the wound to remove the grit. Aitor screamed in agony and before anyone could intervene he had managed to wrap an arm around Jo's throat and yanked her up against him, a dagger materialised against her neck. His eyes were wild and yet Jo's face was perfectly calm.  
" Let her go!" Guillaume snarled, his sword raised and pointed at Aitor.  
" That…hurt!" Aitor said harshly through gritted teeth into Jo's ear as he held her tightly against him. He had to admit he had expected some kind of struggle from her.  
" Really…" Jo said, no trace of fear in her voice, " If you think that hurt…wait'll you see what Guillaume'll do to you if you don't let go of me NOW!" As she finished she jabbed a finger into his wounded leg. He shrieked and instantly let go of her. Jo scrambled away and looked back at him. Tears of pain welled up in his eyes and his face had gone several shades paler. " Now then…" Jo re-approached him, her green eyes glaring into his. " Are you going to let me finish this…or shall we just leave you here…for the vultures…?"  
" I'd go for option number two…" Guillaume muttered darkly under his breath.  
" I'm sorry…" Aitor's deep voice was shaky and his eyes looked back at Jo with genuine repentance in them. With a satisfied grin, Jo returned to her former position and began to bandage his leg.  
" Good…" she said as she worked quickly but gently. " We wouldn't want to get off on the wrong foot now…would we…?"  
" Jo you can't be serious…you're not going to have him join us are you…?!" Aradia's voice rang with disbelief. " We know nothing about him, are you going to ask every random person we meet if they want to join us…he could be a thief…Jo, he could be a murderer for all we know…he's already threatened your life once already!" Jo turned to look up at her.  
" Aradia I think that once again you fail to realise that just because he isn't wearing a crown doesn't automatically make him a bad person. Plus…if you were feeling pain like he is…you'd probably want to kill someone too!" Jo rolled her eyes and returned her gaze to the task at hand. " So please, for once, could you keep your small minded views to yourself…"Jo said firmly, as she continued to bandage Aitor's leg.  
" Inork asango luke erregearen alaba zerela!"** Aitor said quietly with a sardonic smirk, his turquoise eyes sparkling as he spoke to Jo. Glyndwr's bright eyes narrowed as he looked down at him.  
" What'd you say that for?" He asked firmly and the friends, although unable to understand the words, were in no doubt that whatever he'd said, it wasn't good.  
" Only that Jo is…" Aitor paused for thought. " Powerful in her words…"  
" How come you speak some Euskaran anyway…?" Lina frowned slightly.  
" My father's best friend was a meander…he taught me some useful phrases…should I need them," Aitor explained quickly. An uneasy silence followed.  
" Ok…" Jo tucked the edge of the bandage in and stood up once more. " Phillipe? …Guillaume? …Help him up would you…?" The two re-sheathed their swords and, with frowns etched on their faces, they reached down and helped Aitor to his feet.  
" Can you walk…?" Jo asked as he lent against Guillaume, who looked like he might let him fall at any moment. Aitor tested his bound leg gingerly.  
" I think so…" He said with a trembling voice.  
" Good!" Jo shouldered her pack once more. " Then we can continue…"  
With Aitor's injury they were reduced to less than a snail's pace. In fact by nightfall they had barely started to climb the gentle slope of the foothills.  
They quickly set up camp and ate together, the friends biting their tongue against asking questions about Aitor. Once they had finished eating,  
" Well…" Jo yawned, glancing up at the sky. " I think it's time we turned in…" She glanced around at the relieved faces around her. " I'll take the first watch…"  
"Oh no you won't!" Guillaume said firmly with a protective smile on his face. " You didn't sleep properly last night…" Jo tried to argue with him but a large yawn prevented her from even starting.  
" I'll take the first watch…" Phillipe said firmly, with a slight smile.  
" And we'll go after you!" Amos and Jenny grinned across the fire.  
" I guess we might as well take over from you two then…" Lucy sighed as Martin stretched his arms over his head and nodded.  
" Then…" Mark groaned as he rubbed his neck. " You can wake me up…"  
" And me…" Bertrande added almost indignantly.  
" And of course you too!" Mark rolled his eyes. The group said their goodnights and headed off to go to sleep.  
Guillaume led Jo over to where they had left their packs and she flopped onto the ground. He sat next to her and smiled.  
" Now then…" he watched as she tried to fight another yawn. " You need to get some rest…"  
" But I'm not….sleepy!" Jo's attempt at reasoning was broken by yet another yawn, one that made her eyes water. She smiled. "Honestly, I couldn't sleep…" The smile faded and a pensive look entered her eyes. " I don't _want_ to sleep…"  
" Don't be silly…" Guillaume brushed back a lock of hair from her face.  
" I'm not!" Jo said firmly, " What if these nightmares are a sign…or…or…what if it's Obsequious or something…"  
" Jo I hardly think…" Guillaume started.  
" But what if he _is_ sending me these dreams…what if, what if he _can_ see us all through me…what if he knows how far we've come…or how many crystals we have…or how to stop us or…!"  
" Alright…that's enough…" Guillaume rolled his eyes. " No wonder you're giving yourself nightmares if you keep going about things like this all the time…"  
" But Guillaume…!" Jo propped herself up on her elbows to argue her point.  
" You…sleep…now…!" Guillaume said sternly, stopping Jo's speech. " Nothing's going to harm you…not while I'm around…" He smiled softly, she looked up at him. A look of slight confusion in her eyes, the words were somehow familiar.  
" Hey…where did that come from…?" She frowned slightly and Guillaume shrugged.  
" I don't know…it just came into my head…" he smiled once more. " But it's true…No one's going to hurt you…" Jo grinned up at him.  
" No one's gonna dare…" She said quietly as the somehow familiar words flowed through her head. With a smile she reached out for his hand and taking it, she pulled herself up to kiss him softly.  
" I do love you…" she smiled as she lay back down and closed her eyes, murmuring a quiet. " Goodnight…" Within a few moments her exhaustion got the better of her and she was soon fast asleep.  
Guillaume stood up and stretched as he wandered away from where Jo lay sleeping. Over by the foot of the hill, he could Phillipe sat on a log next to a small fire. He made his way over, sat down next to him and sighed  
" Is she asleep…?" Phillipe said without taking his eyes from the flames before him.  
" Yes…" Guillaume placed his elbows on his knees and rested his chin upon his hands. A few moments pf silence passed where the only sound was that of crackling flames and the occasional heavy sigh from one of the two men. Phillipe threw another branch onto the fire and glanced at Guillaume, whose face was etched with worry.  
" I'm sure these nightmares will pass…" Phillipe said quietly, " She's just got a lot of responsibility for one so young…"  
" Well so has Aradia, she's already a ruler…and yet she doesn't have nightmares…" Guillaume answered and then paused as a wicked glint appeared in his dark eyes for a moment. " Then again…Aradia _is_ a nightmare!" He grinned for a minute before worry once again covered his face. Phillipe looked at the young man sat beside him, Guillaume's brooding face reminded him of himself in his youth. Always a frown, never a smile used to cover his face. Inspector Javert had not been given to grinning. He smiled as he recounted his first meeting with Jo, whose friendship has taught him to laugh and cry. He had spotted her climbing over a large iron gate in Paris and he has, as was his disposition then, believed her to be a thief. Which had been her reaction to him as he recalled fondly.  
_" Look, if you're going to rob me, rob me. Just take whatever you can find and go!"_ she had said firmly. He had tried to arrest her, but once again her response had surprised him.  
_" Now you listen to me, I'm no thief and I don't care whether you believe me or not!"_  
No one answered back to Javert, ever! Phillipe smirked slightly as he saw her in his mind, one hand on her hip and two green eyes glaring up at him.  
Letting himself return to the moment he looked back over at Guillaume and he could almost feel his concern.  
" I used to have nightmares…" Phillipe's voice was quiet as he made this revealing statement.  
" You?!" came Guillaume's shocked reply, Phillipe's pale eyes smiled at him as he nodded.  
" Yes, me! Just after they made me an Inspector, my dreams were plagued with the thought that I had once let Valjean escape me and that I may not be able to prevent that happening again…I would have nightmares about un-defeatable villains and thieves whom I could not apprehend…no matter how hard I tried…" Phillipe sighed as he nudged a branch deeper into the flames with his foot. " I believe Jo suffers from the same problem…she believes that this Obsequious may to be powerful to be beaten…" A faint smile lifted the corners of Phillipe's mouth. " Even by twelve mythical Strangers like us!" They both laughed.  
" And you think…that's all it is…worry…?" Guillaume asked, his dark eyes looking at the flames before him once more.  
" I'm sure it is…" Phillipe put a reassuring hand on Guillaume's shoulder for a moment. " And I'm sure once we have got a few more miles under our belts and once we have a few more of these crystals in our pockets, she'll stop having these dreams…!"  
" I don't think Mithras' expectations of her are helping much either…" Guillaume grumbled, Phillipe rolled her eyes as he took his hand away.  
" Mithras, like every one else here, believes in Jo. In all of us for that matter. He wouldn't have given her such responsibilities if he doubted her capabilities. I think the only one who doubts her skill…is Jo…" Phillipe sighed, a sound echoed by Guillaume. He too could see in his memory all too well another occasion when Jo's courage had not been in doubt.  
_" I confess nothing. There is no crime in having a different faith!"_ Jo had announced proudly to the Priest and Villagers of Artigat as they captured her and attempted to burn her at the stake. Even then she had thought of her friends and had tried to get them to leave without her and escape a similar fate themselves.  
" She'll be fine…" Guillaume said firmly, seeming to have pushed all of his doubts from his mind. Almost. " Won't she…?" Phillipe stood up slowly and stretched a little.  
" With you to watch over her…" Phillipe smiled warmly, " I don't doubt that for a second…" he finished before heading over to the others. "Well I'm going to go and wake up Amos and Jenny before turning in…so…Goodnight Guillaume…" he called back softly.  
Guillaume said his 'Goodnight' to Phillipe and followed him over the others, before resuming his position next to Jo. He ran a hand gently through her hair, looking down at her peaceful face as she slept he whispered the words running through his mind for some unexplained reason.  
" Demons are prowling everywhere…I'll send them howling, I don't care, I've got ways...Nothing can harm you," he yawned and felt his eyes closing. "…Not while I'm around…" He leant over and kissed her forehead before settling down to sleep himself.  
A little way away, two turquoise eyes watched the sleeping forms of Jo and Guillaume. Having listened to Guillaume's and Phillipe's conversation Aitor sighed slightly. So the Group's young leader had doubts did she. Aitor was sure his master would be interested to know about them. Closing his eyes he turned over and trying to ignore the dull aching in his leg, he went to sleep.

* " What's the matter?"  
** " Anyone would say that you are the King's daughter!" (A sardonic expression not a statement of fact. You would say it to anyone _but_ the King's daughter.)


	25. PART 61

Dedra awoke with a start, one hand firmly holding his dagger's handle. His turquoise eyes looked around nervously. An early morning mist hung in the air, in the distance a bird could be heard singing happily, it was quiet and peaceful. He frowned, why then had he awoken so suddenly.  
A noise nearby made him freeze, it was the sound of grit under foot. He tried to sit up and look around but a sharp twinge of pain in his leg made him grimace and stop.  
" The things I do…!" He groaned as he laid back down.  
" What things…?" A voice next to him asked suddenly. He cried out in shock and he drew his dagger with frightening speed and pointed it in the direction of the voice. There was a quiet gasp and he felt the tip of the blade connect with something. Turning his head in the direction of his outstretched arm and it's weapon he gasped. Knelt by his side, with his dagger now touching their throat, was Jo. She looked down at him, her eyes wide but he saw no fear shining there. She raised an eyebrow slightly and smirked, " This is the second time you've had a dagger against my throat Aitor…" She swallowed carefully, " If I didn't know better…I'd think you had something against me…" Her tone was jovial but her eyes didn't have a happy sparkle to them. They simply bored into his.  
" You…you frightened me…" Dedra said after a few moments of uneasy silence, propping himself on an elbow while his other arm was still extended with it's dagger still aimed at her throat. He looked at her appraisingly, her sword was not by her side and her hands rested on her knees. She had made no attempt to move the blade, nor did it seem she was going to. He frowned as he noticed she held something tightly in her left hand.  
" I didn't want to wake you…" Jo said simply. Her eyes continuing to look deeply into his. No fear in her voice, only an odd glint in her eyes – something like distrust.  
" Why...?" Dedra's tone became suspicious.  
" Well, for one thing it's early and I thought you needed your rest..." She explained quietly. " And secondly because you don't have to be awake for what I came here for..." A faint smile played on her lips for the briefest of moments. For a second Dedra saw the exact expression that had appeared in the mist of Petos' memory back in Vaniria. That slight smile on a serious face. His heart seemed to stop beating for a minute as a half-remembered memory (was it a memory?) came to him. A memory, or the image at least, of a little girl, a little girl whose face had worn the same expression. Dedra forced himself to push the image away and focus on the matter at hand.  
" And wha...what's that...?" Dedra swallowed noisily and nervously. Jo's mouth curved into a smile once more.  
" Move your dagger and you'll find out," " What's in your hand...?" " What does it matter...?" " It matters," Dedra could feel a smile wanting to form on his own mouth. This was something he hadn't expected. Most people when they found themselves with a blade close to them, let alone next to their throat, tended to lose the power of rational speech. This banter was almost fun, he wasn't used to having people challenge him. Least of all in situations like this one. Even with the genuine feeling of worry in his stomach at what might be concealed in her hand.  
" What harm can I do...as you see I am unarmed," Jo shrugged.  
" Weapons are not the only was to 'harm' someone..." Dedra's eyes glimmered for a moment as Jo mulled this statement over in her mind.  
" S'fair point..." She nodded, as casually as if they were simply discussing the weather. " Tell you what...you take your dagger away and I'll show you what's in my hand at the same time." One of Dedra's sandy eyebrows rose slightly. " I'll even give it to you..." A moment of thought followed. Dedra knew he had little choice. If he didn't agree then they would be at an impass. He would not remove his weapon and he didn't doubt that Jo would only be too happy to just sit there and look at him. Neither would be able to do anything until one of the others woke and found them, and he didn't doubt that upon finding him holding a dagger up to Jo's throat none of them would react in a calm manner about things. At least this way it was a compromise, not a surrender. Jo's eyes pierced his and he knew she knew this too.  
" Ok," he said after a while, holding out his hand near hers. " On three..?"  
" On three," Jo nodded.  
" One, two...three..." Dedra lowered his dagger and he felt something soft drop into his outstretched hand. He glanced down and frowned. In his palm lay some material. Plain, white strips of cotton. He raised confused eyes and looked up at her.  
" What...?" Jo's face broke into a mischievous grin. " Don't get them dirty now! I've been up for the last hour sterilising them..."  
" Sterilising?!" Dedra's eyes opened wide in surprise as he felt an embarassed flush spreading across his face. " You mean...you came to...these are for..."  
" I came to change your bandages," Jo said taking the fresh bandages back. " I thought it'd be better if you didn't know, if you were asleep while I did it..."  
" I feel such an idiot!" Dedra smacked a palm against his forehead with a loud slap. " Why didn't you just say so...?" He frowned up at her as she grinned back down at him.  
" This was more fun," She sighed. " Now just lay back down and I apologise now...in case this hurts..." She moved further down his body and pulled back the cloak he had used to cover himself in the night to reveal the mass of bandages around his leg. Dedra did as he was told and flopped back onto the ground, grinding his teeth in case of any sudden pain and cursing to himself for being so paranoid. Jo bit her lip as she carefully lifted his leg up and started to peel away the bandages. As she removed the last of the dressing Dedra heard her sigh.  
" What? What is it?!" He struggled to sit back up again. " What's wrong with my leg?" He sat up as quickly as he could, glanced down at his lower leg and his mouth promptly dropped open. Despite the slight pain he felt there, the wound had almost completely healed. Jo smirked at the shocked expression on his face.  
" It's healing well..." She grimaced to herself as she stated the obvious. "...Another day or so and it should almost be gone..." She looked back at what was left of the wound, now less of a gash and more a like a bad cut., and nodded to herself. " The interior damage will take longer, of course, but at the rate it's healing, I think you'll be walking like normal within a week at the latest..." She sighed again as she started to replace the old bandages with the clean ones she had brought with her.  
" You...er...you seem to have a healer's touch..." Dedra said quietly, watching her face keenly. He noticed she flushed slightly and her jaw tightened for the merest of moments. The she swallowed and shrugged.  
" Maybe..." He noticed Jo was purposefully avoiding his gaze. " But then again, you must be pretty healthy yourself...that was a bad wound and even with all that dirt and grit, there's no sign of infection or anything..." Jo continued to wrap the bandage tightly around his shin, a slight frown creased her brow. " How did you come to fall anyway...surely you weren't up in the mountains alone..." Jo mused, her gaze on her hands but her mind obviously on something else.  
" Oh...well...I...erm..." Dedra had wondered how long it would be before this question was raised, but he struggled to create a reason. " You see...there was this...erm..." His brow now creased as he thought quickly. Jo moved her eyes from her hands and looked at his face. His brow was knitted and she could tell he was having to do some pretty fast thinking. Just as she was about to speak,  
" Good morning…" Phillipe's voice broke the early morning silence. Relief flooded Dedra's face.  
" Morning Phillipe…" He smiled up at the man towering over them both.  
" How are you…you sleep alright…?" Phillipe all but ignored Dedra and glanced down at Jo's up turned face. She smiled and sighed slightly.  
" Yes, I'm fine…no nightmares last night,"  
" Good…" Phillipe smiled back at her and reaching down, squeezed her shoulder quickly. " Well I guess the others'll be up soon…I'll get some wood and start a fire…" He said heading off towards some nearby tree to look for suitable fuel. Dedra and Jo exchanged looks for a moment. He could feel an embarrassed flush flooding his face, for as her green eyes pierced his, he could tell…she knew that there was no story about falling. Somehow, he knew that she was aware that his finding them was not accidental. He opened his mouth to speak, no idea of what he was going to say but Jo looked away from him before he could even start. She cleared her throat and finished bandaging his leg. " Better finish this and then I can help Phillipe…" A half-formed idea jumped into her mind for a moment. She tutted,  
" The bandage is too long…" She glanced up at him. " Can I borrow your dagger for a second…"Dedra's eyebrows shot up questioningly. " Just to trim the excess off…"  
Somewhat begrudgingly he handed over the dagger that only minutes before had been at her throat. She a thank you as she took the blade. Watching him flop back down, she glanced down at the knife in her hands. Looking closely she noticed smears on it's shiny surface. She frowned, what he been trying to clean off it. Deftly she cut the excess and tucked the end in. Then, before handing the dagger back, she wiped the blade on the excess cloth and shoved it into her pocket. " There you go…" She said as brightly as she could manage. Dedra propped himself up again and took the blade back. The two of them looked at each for a moment. Dedra could see the mistrustful glint in her eye had faded and was now replaced by something…something that looked like…disappointment.  
" Th-thank you," Dedra eventually said. Jo waved away his words, standing up and brushing the dust and grit from her legs.  
" No need, _Aitor_, I'd do the same for any _friend_ of Vaniria…" She said firmly before walking away in the direction that Phillipe had gone, leaving Dedra paler than he had ever been, even when his pain had been at it's height. The cold clammy feeling of fear was creeping over him. Jo knew he was not what he had tried to convince them he was and now he could only wait and she what she would do about it.


	26. PART 62

The rest of the group awoke one by one, drifting over to a small stream nearby to splash their faces with water before joining the others around a small fire built by Phillipe. Dedra sat in silence, occasionally daring to glance at the others. None of them seemed to be paying him any particular attention. Except Guillaume. His dark eyes glared at him almost constantly, pure distrust and loathing glowing in his dark eyes. Dedra did everything he could to avoid looking at him.  
Jo, it seemed, had vanished. A fact, which did not help Guillaume's mood. (Or Dedra's) Lina appeared rubbing her eyes sleepily.  
" Morning…" She yawned, stretching her arms and her wings at the same time.  
" Morning," Simon said back rather tersely, rubbing the side of his head where he had just been cuffed by her wing.  
" Hey…anyone seen Jo…I want to check something on the map with her…she was here earlier on…" Phillipe asked, carefully tying back his long hair.  
" No…" Guillaume started testily before he was cut off.  
" Yeah…" Lina yawned again, stretching her arms above her head. " Saw her not long ago…I think she said something about taking Billabong for a walk…" She rolled her eyes. " But that's just stupid…everyone knows Regits don't need to be walked!" 

* * * * *

Jo gazed into the golden eyes before her. Billabong gazed back, an almost inquisitive look on his face. She sighed and scratched him behind the ears. He made a low growling sound Jo assumed was the Regit equivalent of purring and rested her chin on her hand.  
" I know you're not as stupid as Lina makes you to be…" She said and then grinned. " Then again what most people would make of me talking to you I don't know either but…I think you're probably the person, the only person who can help me with this…" She stroked his head and noticed a look that almost resembled pride shining in those lamp like eyes. But whether it was pride at being referred to as a person or pride at being able to help Jo couldn't determine. Probably both. " Anyway, it's about Aitor…" The Regit's body tensed briefly, almost imperceptively. " Mmm, you don't like him either huh?" The animal snorted. " Well, it's not that I don't _like_ him I just…don't trust him…" She stroked his velvety orange and black fur once again. " He's got a secret and it must be a big one…to make him…" She trailed off, her eyes gazing into the distance. Billabong let her 'think' for a moment before nuzzling her hand with his nose. She glanced down at him and smiled. " Sorry about that…"  
She carefully took out the piece of excess bandage she had wiped his blade on earlier and out of another pocket she pulled out another piece of material. She held them one in each hand. " Now then…" Jo said slowly. " I think you're a kind of vegetarian Regit…well I've never seen you eat meat, but I would assume your sense of smell is still far better than mine so…" She showed him the two pieces of cloth. " This one, is part of Aitor's bandage from when we first found him," She held it out for him to smell and he did so, and then wrinkled his nose up. He snuffled loudly a couple of times and then looked up at her, looking thoroughly put out. " I know this isn't very pleasant," Jo's tone was appeasing, " But like I said, you're the only one who can do this…" Resign covered Billabong's face. " And I want to know if this cloth smells anything like the first one…" She held out the excess cloth for him. " Is there anything on here that smells the same…?" She took the second piece and held it out for him. Billabong's large pink nose sniffed at the cloth three times. His golden eyes narrowed as he looked up at her. Jo frowned and sighed heavily, putting the cloth back in her pocket. She scratched him behind the ears again as she stood up. " Yeah…" She said as they started to head back to the others. " That's what I thought too…" And then she mumbled to herself. " Aitor, were you _that_ desperate to be found you cut yourself…or was it just desperate to be found…by _us_…?" 

* * * * *

" Where've you been…?" Guillaume asked carefully as Jo suddenly appeared next to him.  
" Talking to a Regit, could you pass me some fruit please?" She smiled warmly.  
" Obviously…" He sighed, passing her an apple. It looked like an apple and tasted like one but, like everything else here it's colour was a little unusual, it was light pink in colour, with patches of mauve here and there on it's skin. Kind of like a very odd looking Granny Smith. " And I don't suppose I should try and ask what you were talking about…?" Guillaume's dark brown eyes followed the Regit as he padded around and flopped down next to Lina and Simon. Jo glanced over at him and winked.  
" Not me no, but you could try Billabong…" She winked and kissed his cheek. " Morning by the way…"  
" Morning," He smiled back, running a hand through her hair.  
" So, what we talking about this fine day…?" Jo took a large bite of the apple.  
" You!" Amos grinned from the other side of the fire.  
" And all the stupid things you've done…" Marius smiled as Jo rolled her eyes.  
" Surely this topic is well and truly discussed by now…" She sighed heavily before taking another bite.  
" Oh no, this one never gets boring!" Mark smirked.  
" And with so much material, it probably never will!" Lucy laughed.  
" So which tale is it this time…me jumping onto the barricade single handedly…or trying to convince Artigat that there may be other religions out there…" Jo raised an eyebrow and tried to not to smile.  
" Actually it was you telling us all that the Man in the barn with us at Swallow's was a murderer while he was awake behind you!" Bertrande pulled her corn coloured hair back from her smiling face.  
" Oh that one…" Jo grinned. " Always a classic…but if you lot hadn't just sat there with your mouths open and had actually told me…it never would have happened…!" She stuck her tongue out at them before biting into the apple again.  
" Mature Jo, real mature," Martin smirked.  
" Oh like you can talk…" Jo glanced at Guillaume as well. " Or you…" She grinned. " I seem to remember a certain petty rivalry between you two when we first arrived near Swallow's…" The other friends laughed. " Resulting in an exchange of incredibly 'mature' insults…"  
" How did it go again…" Lucy smirked, glancing at Martin. " Tu n'arriverais pas à croire combien je te souhaite blesser en ce moment!"  
" And I believe the response was something like…" Rosie thought back. " Martin, me croit quand je te dis que rien ne me satisferait davantage qu'observer ton mort…, mais je crains pour ma propre vie, que j'ai peur que Jo me tuerais, alors je ne mentionnerai pas le sujet encore! " The friends were about to launch into riotous laughter but they were surprised when Dedra started laughing first.  
" Oh that _is_ funny…I would enjoying watching your death but I fear Jo would kill me…" Dedra wiped tears of mirth from his turquoise eyes. " I'll have to remember that one,"  
" You…you speak French…?" Phillipe frowned slightly as Dedra's laughter subsided.  
" A man of many _hidden_ talents…" Jo murmured, nibbling at the apple core.  
" Yes, well I've forgotten most of what I learnt…" Dedra sighed, picking up some berries. " You do though don't you when you don't use something…"  
" Where'd you learn French Aitor…?" Glyndwr's eyes flashed over at him.  
" When I was a child…" Dedra bit off some of the bright green berries.  
" Not when…_where_…?" Glyndwr repeated, unmistakable malice in his voice, edged with equally discernable suspicion.  
" Back home," Dedra offered.  
" Which is where…?"  
" You know…the place someone grows up…" Dedra's face was smiling and his tone sarcastic but Jo noticed in his eyes distinct fear. Glyndwr's eyes narrowed.  
" Alright then, sometime keeping our past secret is a good thing…but I always thought the only ones who were instructed in the languages of old were royalty, which you obviously are not, and tutors…" Glyndwr's face smirked. " Which again, in your case, I hardly doubt is possible…"  
" A friend of mine growing up was training to be a tutor…" Dedra said calmly, although his face showed he did not like Glyndwr's tone. " _He_ taught me…"  
" Really," Glyndwr's voice had little emotion in it and the less then impressed look in his eyes only added to this. The two men glared at each other in silence for a few moments. Glyndwr's bright green eyes trying to bore into the icy depths of Dedra's eyes. Jo coughed loudly as she threw her apple core away.  
" Does it really matter all that much how or where or when he learnt it…?" Jo shrugged. " I really don't think it's important…all that does matter is that Aitor can speak it and that might not be such a bad thing…" She glanced placatingly at Glyndwr. " No one started accusing me of anything when I started speaking French…" Glyndwr's gaze became less harsh and he smiled weakly.  
" I'm sorry Jo…" He said quietly before lowering his eyes to the floor.  
" Amets eder bat amets egin dut…" Dedra said quietly as he glanced over at Jo, Guillaume looked up.  
" Hey, what does that mean anyway…?" Guillaume frowned. " Glyndwr…? You said it to Jo before…back in the woods and now he's said it…" His dark brows came down over his eyes. Glyndwr and Jo sighed simultaneously, Jo as she took Guillaume's hand in hers and Glyndwr as he thought.  
" Well, the literal translation is something like…'I have dreamt a beautiful dream'…but…"   
" What?!" Guillaume yelled, he tried to stand up and charge over to Glyndwr but Jo pulled him back down next to her. " What did you dream…?!" Glyndwr backed away slightly, his hands rose in front of himself. " Tell me!"  
" Well if you'll shut up for a minute I'm sure he'll explain…" Jo said firmly, holding onto his arm tightly.  
" No…no, you misunderstand me…" Glyndwr said once he was sure there was enough space between himself and the furious looking Guillaume. " That's the literal translation of the words, but that's not what it means…"  
" See…" Jo rolled her eyes.  
" It's a traditional Meander greeting…" Glyndwr continued. " It implies that two people have met before in this life or another, well traditionally anyway…but now it's used to imply that a person has an aura of peace or goodness surrounding them…" Glyndwr glanced into Guillaume's dark eyes.  
" Like Jo has…" Dedra added quietly.  
" Oh…" Guillaume said quietly, avoiding Glyndwr's eyes, as a slight tinge of pink started to colour his cheeks. " Well…that's…that's alright then…"  
The friends laughter filled the air once more.  
" Anyway…if our language lessons are over for today…" Jo said eventually, trying to gather some kind of order, " We have to concentrate on the matter at hand…" She frowned slightly, picking at the food in her hands. " Now then, I think we all have to face up to the fact that we're about to head into the mountains and…well it's not going to get any easier…" Jo smiled weakly.  
" Do we actually know where it is we're looking for…?" Lucy yawned.  
" Well the star is in the centre of the mountain range on the map but if I remember correctly, Madam Lamim said she couldn't be certain that the map was accurate when it came to the mountain passes as few Vanirians have ever been there…" Phillipe glanced up at the dismayed faces around him.  
" So basically, we're heading into the mountains blind?!" Aradia scoffed.  
" I know it's early…" Jo sighed, " And that it's your nature to be as irritating as you possibly can but any chance you could save today's batch of comments for later…say, when we're asleep…?!" Aradia grumbled something under her breath as Jo sighed heavily. " So what do people think we should do…?"  
" I…I have heard rumours that Ishtar has the crystal…" Dedra said quietly, not looking up but feeling the eyes of everyone suddenly look at him.  
" And just _where_ did you hear that…?" Glyndwr said acidly. " Your _friend_ tell you that one too?!"  
" Glyndwr!" Jo's voice was sharp and firm. " That's enough…" She turned to Dedra. " However, I for one would like to know who told you…we can't afford to be too careful," Jo looked deeply into his eyes. " There are many out there who would only be too happy to send us on the wrong course." Dedra's voice faltered as he tried to speak, the feeling of dread in his heart had returned. But it was too late for turning back now. He tried to shut off the dull thudding in his chest and concentrate on the job he had to do.  
" I passed through a village, near to the river as it passes close to the border of Crystallia…" He explained, Lina's eyes brightened for a second. " An elder there spoke of Ishtar's realm in the mountains and said that Ishtar has long since held the crystal,"  
" Dumb question I'm sure but…who is this Ishtar guy…?" Frowned Amos.  
" _She_…" Corrected Simon, " Is the leader of a tribe who dwell in the mountains. She has always maintained that her rule of the mountain lands is genuine and as such has always refuted the ruling of Vaniria…" He stopped and noticed all the others were staring open mouthed at him.  
" What…?" He looked nervously at them all.  
" You _were_ listening to Madam Puw!" Lucy, Jenny and Bertrande said in unison.  
" Of course I was…I'm not as dumb as you think…" He said proudly.  
" Quite the scholar aren't we…" Lina smiled at him, he grinned and turned back to Amos.  
" See, _genius_…while you were off fighting with sticks I was learning important stuff!" He smacked Amos upside the head, who retaliated with a dig in the ribs and then the two of them began fighting in the dust like children.  
"And thus the image is shattered…" sighed Lina.  
" Well then…" Jo said as she watched Lina and Jenny try to separate Amos and Simon. " It looks like maybe we should go and find this Ishtar, if she doesn't have the crystal it sounds like we should be asking for her help at any rate…" She glanced up at the sky. The morning mist had not risen and there was a chill in the air. " I think we should get going sooner rather than later!"  
They packed up their 'camp', including a hoard of berries and fruit that Billabong had sniffed out for them. It was unlikely they were going to find any fruit bushes up where they were going. And so they set off, Dedra walked alone and unaided except for a staff Martin and Amos had found while they were foraging with Billabong.  
The gentle slope very quickly became a rocky and steep climb. As the sun rose above them the friends struggled to keep any kind of pace, and after a few hours they had only climbed a little way. Jo declared a rest was needed and the friends collapsed happily onto the rocks. Lina shrugged off her pack and flew up into the air, her bright eyes would find the easier path much quicker than any of them ever would.  
" How's it going Aitor…?" Jo called over to him. His chest was heaving from the effort of trying to keep up with them, even with the miraculous healing that had happened to his leg he was still in a lot of pain.  
" Fine…" He said through gritted teeth. This was it, now or never. He had to leave them and leave them now, before it got too complicated. " But I…" He swallowed. " I don't think I can go on…"  
" Don't worry, we all need rest, we'll go on when you've got your breath back…" Jo said consolingly.  
" No, I mean, I don't think I can go on…at all…"  
" What…?" Came the surprised response from a few of them. Jo, however, stayed quiet.  
" What…you're just going to sit here and wait for your leg to heal…?" Rosie's voice was full of disbelief.  
" You'll die of exposure…" Lucy muttered.  
" I'll be fine…" Dedra said firmly. " I'm tougher than I look, besides…I'm not going to sit here…I can walk just not climb! I'll simply head back down into the hills and try and find my way back home…" Suddenly, Lina landed next to them, stopping the discussion.  
" If we head up to the left there's a vague trail which should take us right to the top…it's going to be steep but it should be easier than scrambling over rocks…"  
" Thanks Lina…" Jo smiled before glancing back down at Dedra. " You sure you won't come with us…" For a moment Dedra paused. Part of him wanted to go, to stay with them but just as the clouds grew darker overhead he ignored the feelings.  
" No, I'll only slow you down…" He said firmly. " Anyway," He grinned. " I don't like heights…!" A faint laugh ran around the group.  
" Well, if you're leaving us then there's something I should do now…" Jo knelt in front of him and reached out her hands towards his neck. He froze and his eyes narrowed slightly. This was it. She was going to reveal him to the others. Or maybe just kill him herself. He cursed himself for not being more careful. Obsequious had warned him not to drop his guard just because she didn't look like a threat. His heartbeat started to pound ominously in his ears and he could feel a nervous sweat trying to break out on his brow. With a slight smile Jo shook her head before opening her hands to reveal a cord and a bead strung on it. Leaning forwards she tied the cord and it's bead around his throat carefully. His brow furrowed and confusion shone plainly in his eyes. His heart still pounding madly in his chest but now he wasn't so sure if it was from fear, or relief or…was it just the fact that she had been so close to him. " It's a gift…" She explained, sitting back on her heels.  
" But…why…I…?" Dedra stammered as he touched the bead gently.  
" To keep watch over you Aitor…" Jo smiled as she stood back up. " To look out for you…" She held out her hand. " Good luck Aitor…" He looked up into her face as he reached out to take her hand. He could feel a frown spreading over his brow. Why was she doing this. Maybe the bead was cursed. " May it be that we meet again…" He took hold of her hand and the frown melted away. There was something in her eyes as she looked down at him, pity perhaps, but he knew she meant him no harm. And this only made him feel a hundred times worse.  
" I'm sure we will…" All of a sudden he found his throat had gone dry. As he held her hand in his he felt something. A warm feeling spreading inside him. He glanced around at the faces of the others surrounding them. All were smiling happily at him, even Guillaume and Glyndwr seemed to have forgotten their problems for the moment, and all were wearing a bead just like his. This new feeling was strange but it felt…right. It felt good. As if the clouds had parted and for a few moments he was bathed in warm sunlight. What was this odd feeling…he was sure he had felt it before, but not for many years. Not since he was a youth. It felt like friendship.  
One by one the others came and said their farewells, the last to do so was Glyndwr.  
" Ongi ilbi…" Glyndwr said, shaking his hand rather formally, meaning 'walk well' in the old language.  
" Hurrengo arte…" Dedra answered equally formerly. Dedra bowed his head slightly as he said 'Until the next time'. Glyndwr then looked at him for a few moments before he turned and followed the others. Dedra sat and watched them walk until they were no more than mere specks amongst the rocks and crevices. Then he sighed, touching the bead ever so gently in his fingertips. Just feeling it there made his heart feel lighter. With a heavy sigh he tucked it under his tunic and turned away from the direction they had gone in, cast away his staff and headed back down into the hills below. He had to get back to Obsequious, he had much to tell him. And much he would have to conceal.


	27. PART 63

Climbing a mountain was no easy task. A task made even more difficult by heavy packs and a lack of experience. But it was task made damn near impossible by the weather.  
As the friends had started to climb the 'trail' found by Lina, the wind had started to pick up. Soon it was blasting icy cold air down on them as they struggled upwards. And then as they had climbed above the mist that hung around the foot of the mountain (which had drenched them fairly effectively was they climbed up through it) it had started to rain. At first just a light drizzle, no better or worse than the mist had been. But then it had gotten heavier. And heavier. As the wind blew the rain down and under their hoods, the friends pulled their cloaks tighter around them, trying to keep at least some of the rain out. The cloaks _had_ so far, managed to keep their clothes dry but they were getting heavier and heavier (just like the rain) as they absorbed more and more water.  
Since leaving Dedra they had climbed for a good few hours, stopping only momentarily to readjust their course. There was little conversation going on and every face bore the same expression of grim determination. With the sky above blackened by the rain clouds they had no clear idea of what the time of day was and it did not look as if the clouds were going to lift any time soon. Even with the strong winds that kept buffeting the group, the clouds did not seem to be blowing anywhere. Billabong's fur was drenched and he padded along with his head down, looking so bedraggled and pitiful the others didn't like to look at him.  
After what felt like a small eternity had passed the friends spotted a small rock outcrop that might provide a little shelter from the howling wind. The friends clustered together, trying to catch their breath and dry off a little.  
" I don't suppose there's any chance of the crystal just happening to be lying around here somewhere is there...?" Mark said hopefully as he dried his face with his sleeve.  
" I wish," Jo sighed, wringing rainwater out of her hair.  
" If we keep climbing in this direction I reckon we should reach this…" Phillipe paused searching for the right words, " This squiggly line by sundown…"  
" And 'squiggly lines' stand for what exactly?" Amos shook his head violently and sprayed the others with water.  
" Well, I think it either stands for a ledge or plateau or something…" Phillipe swallowed.  
" …Or…?" Rosie asked in a voice that clearly said she really didn't want to know the other option.  
" A chasm of some kind," Phillipe's voice was quiet as he folded up the map once more and avoided the wide-eyed glances of the others.  
" Sound great," Jenny's voice had all the enthusiasm of someone who has a just been told they have to do the worst thing they could ever imagine.  
" Well I suppose we might as well carry on," Jo straightened the pack on her shoulders. " I don't know about anyone else but I was marginally warmer when we were climbing,"  
" You weren't drier though!" Lina smirked as she pulled her hood back up over her sodden hair. Jo grinned.  
" True…but I'd rather be warm and wet through than cold and wet through!" She winked before pulling her own hood up and heading back out into the wind and rain followed by the rest of the party.  
Soon water was coursing down their faces and drenching their cloaks once more. But they kept climbing. Once again there was a silence over them all, not that they could have heard each other over the wind if they had tried. It was a long, hard day and as the sky above started to get even darker they still didn't seem to have gotten very far. The rocks around them looked pretty much the same as they had done at the start of the climb and the rain, coupled with the lack of light, meant that there was no chance of trying to see how far they had climbed by looking behind them. Whenever they did, all they saw was an ever-increasingly darkening grey mass with the odd rock in it here and there. It was safe to say that morale was lower and fading fast as the last of the light seemed to be leaving the sky above them.  
Then all of a sudden, it stopped raining. For a few minutes it took the friends a little while to notice but one by one they realised that the wind was just blowing air under their hoods instead of the cold water that had soaked them all day. And so they kept walking in the darkness, cold and still fairly miserable. Wherever on the mountainside they were, there was no shelter and stopping was simply not an option. They would just have to continue until they found something. Suddenly Jo's voice came through the air.  
" I can see it…there's a ledge!" The weight of their sodden cloaks seemed to lift instantaneously. " Just a little way ahead!" With renewed strength from somewhere the friends pressed on, squinting in the darkness to follow the black cloak of the person in front of them.  
The ledge was larger than the friends had anticipated and as they dropped their packs and shrugged off their sodden cloaks they noticed that the wind had dropped and looking up, the clouds had all but disappeared. Stars twinkled down at them from the deep dark blue sky and despite the definite chill in the air, the friends felt happier than they had done all day. In the distance the moon was rising through the clouds and there was a peace in the air that made them all feel calm and safe.  
Simon, Mark, Amos, Marius and Martin went looking in search of possible fuel for a fire. Lucy, Jenny and Bertrande set about hanging up their cloaks on the rocks to dry off. Jo, Lina and Phillipe stood looking over the map, trying to guess where they were and where they should go next. Aradia glanced up from where she, Rosie, Guillaume and Glyndwr were sat preparing some of their food.  
" Hey, why isn't she doing anything to help…?" Aradia hadn't specified a name but everyone knew she was talking about Jo. Jo, however, kept her gaze on the map and when she spoke her voice was clam and unaffected.  
" Well right now Aradia, I'm trying to help plan the route for tomorrow but when I've finished this…I was going to come and give you lot a hand with the food…" She glanced over the map at her, an eyebrow slightly raised before looking back at the map.  
" You're _always_ standing around reading maps or scrolls…while you make the rest of us do all the hard work…!" Aradia sounded most put out.  
" I think it was Charlie McCarthy who once said 'Hard work never killed anybody – but why take the chance'…I think you two would have gotten along!" Jo smirked slightly but the furious look on Aradia's face left her with no doubt that the humour had been lost and so Jo sighed heavily. " If you'd rather not do anything constructive or helpful Aradia that's fine, just stop what you're doing…nobody's making you do anything you don't want to…" Aradia pouted for a second, in two minds whether to throw down the food she was preparing and sit in defiance or to just get on with it. She was hungry, as was everyone else, and this fighting would only drag things out even more. Instead she settled on being a martyr and she looked down at the food and started to work again, but not before muttering under her breath.  
" I might as well do this, it's not as if _you're_ going to do anything…"  
But before Jo could answer this statement another voice came through the increasing darkness.  
" Don't you think she does enough?" Glyndwr said plainly.  
" What?!" Aradia turned on her heel to face him, finally dropping the food to the floor, her face a combination of shock and anger. " Who asked _your_ opinion _Meander_?!"  
" Jo has to put up with more than enough..." He struggled to find the correct word, his eyes never leaving Aradia's while he did so, " ..._Stress_ without you constantly causing problems too," Glyndwr shot back without bothering to answer her question.  
" You can't talk to me like that," Aradia stood up and drew herself up to her full height but even so it was obvious which of the two was in control. " Don't you know _who_ I am...?!"  
" Glyndwr, please, leave it," Jo sighed, " It really doesn't matter..." But Glyndwr's eyes and attention were firmly fixed on Aradia.  
" You may be the one with the title here, but Jo is the only one who comes across as being royal. It's not just about a crown Aradia. She has more nobility in her little finger than I have _ever_ seen you display…" Glyndwr's tone was disappointed, not aggressive. "…You act like a spoilt child. You claim that you came on this quest to do the best for your people but so far…you have done nothing for the good of anyone…least of all your people…" He looked deeply into her shocked eyes, " …nothing…"  
" Wh…what would you know of how a Princess should act…?" Aradia tried in vain to retain the commanding tone in her voice but instead her voice trembled and sounded weak.  
" Enough…" Glyndwr's eyes glinted as they pierced Aradia's.  
Just at that moment Mark and the others returned with what looked to be four small trees. They dropped them triumphantly onto the floor and awaited their congratulations but it didn't come. Everyone's eyes were still fixed on Aradia and Glyndwr who were both still stood just staring at each other. An awkward, nervous silence in the air.  
Suddenly one of the trees burst into flames and the friends all leapt about a foot into the air. Only Jo seemed unperturbed by it, she kept looking at the map in her hands. Eventually, she glanced up, smiled and with an overly surprised voice she exclaimed,  
" Oh great…a fire! Now we can eat!"  
So they prepared their food and sat around the fire that crackled merrily in front of them. The argument, for now at least, forgotten. The friends ate and sat quietly, some thinking, some just resting. But no one was speaking and for that, Jo for one was thankful. Bright moonlight shone down on the band of travellers, even though the moon floating above them was only half full.  
" Wow," Jo sighed, glancing up at it.  
" Wow what…?" Guillaume tossed another branch onto the fire.  
" Just looking at the moon." Jo's voice was thoughtful. " We left Vaniria the day after the full moon and now it's waned so much…"  
" Well we're not doing badly…" Lina stretched leisurely. " A week gone and we already have two crystals and we must be pretty close to getting the third…"  
" And if the weather stays good we should be able to make the climb to the top in a day…two at the most…" Phillipe had the map once again in his hands.  
" Yay…" Rosie started to say but was cut off by a loud yawn from Marius. The others grinned and then realised just how tired they all were. Unanimously it was agreed that now was as good a time as any to turn in for the night, especially if they wanted to get an early start the next day, and the friends gathered their now dried cloaks from the rocks and settled down to sleep.  
They hadn't been asleep long and the fire was still burning when the night was pierced by a cry. The friends sat up, grabbing at their weapons.  
" What was…?!" Mark started but then he saw Guillaume. He was sat next to Jo who was once again thrashing in her sleep. He had pulled her up so that her head was resting on his leg and he had wrapped her cloak tightly around her. He glanced over at the others,  
" It's just another nightmare…" His voice was heavy. " Just try and go back to sleep, I'll keep an eye on her…"  
The others laid down their weapons once again and lay back down. Trying to get back to sleep but every so often a cry from Jo would shatter the silence of the night and jerk them back to reality. However, eventually tiredness took over and they dropped off one by one and as the moon started its descent above them, Jo's nightmare seemed to pass and her sleeping became peaceful once again. Once she was sleeping soundly, Guillaume ran a hand through her hair frowning.  
" What's haunting you Jo…?" He mumbled with a yawn before settled down to sleep beside her.


	28. PART 64

The next morning there was once again very little conversation. Aradia and Glyndwr, it seemed, had come to the unspoken agreement that not speaking would be the best way to deal with their seemingly uncontrollable urge to argue with each other from the moment their mouths were open. The others, while eager to ask whether Jo was all right, after she had spent most of the night suffering from nightmares once again, refrained upon catching Guillaume's watchful eye. Jo's face was slightly pale and even though they couldn't be sure whether she knew what had happened, they _knew_ that she would be able to tell that something was wrong. And they were right. From both her own feelings and the uneasy atmosphere that had settled over their camp once more, Jo knew that something had plagued her sleep the night before. But atmosphere aside, the morning air was crisp and fresh and the view from their small plateau was amazing. They could see a fair distance out over the hills that rolled down to meet the plains that they had crossed a few days before. Squinting into the distance they could just about make out a dark mass in the Southwest, which they assumed must be the Blue Wood.  
Just as they were packing up the last of their belongings and putting out the fire, Jo stood looking out over the view they were leaving behind. She frowned slightly as she let her eyes travel across the scenery and towards the East, where there was an even darker mass than the Blue Wood, a dark mass that she could almost feel growing. As her eyes looked into the darkness on the horizon she found herself shivering. A cold wind appeared out of nowhere and was suddenly swirling around her. She frowned and stepped back, away from the edge, recalling the time in Vaniria when she and Lina had been sat on the battlements and a similar chilling wind had blown up out of nowhere. There was something, something in that darkness in the distance that she could almost feel was watching them. Watching her. Two hands on her shoulders made her jump,  
" You ready to get going…?" Guillaume's voice was gentle as she glanced back at him over her shoulder. She smiled as he leant further forwards and kissed the tip of her nose.  
" Yeah…yeah I'm ready…" She sighed, squeezing his hand before stooping to pick up her own pack. The others were stood around with packs already on their backs and determination already written on their faces. " Come on then…we might as well get going…" She said as she led them off their ledge and began their climb up the mountainside. 

* * * * * * * *

  
  
" This is insane!" Mark yelled against the wind as they struggled onwards. They had started their climb in cold but good conditions. Blue sky above them, sun shining down providing a little of much needed warmth, both mentally and physically, and no wind to speak of. Then suddenly the sky had clouded over, the blue sky blotted out by heavy grey clouds that looked, for want of a better word, evil. Then the wind had started, howling through the rocks around them bringing biting cold down on them all. Just as they had thought it couldn't get any worse, it had started to snow.  
" It wasn't like this in 'White Christmas'!" Jenny screeched at one point and she was right. This was not the 'Christmas card' kind of snow but the Arctic blizzard kind that got explorers lost among icebergs and polar bears.  
The group struggled onwards, heads bents down against the wind and snow, keeping an eye on the hem of the cloak in front of them. Billabong struggled along at the back, his eyes closed to the thinnest of slits as he followed them.  
The snow they could handle to a certain extent but it was the wind that was the real problem. As it blew harshly down on them through the rocks and whistled through the crevices it almost sounded alive. As if it was screaming. As if it was tormenting them. Jo had to stop herself a few times and force herself to listen to it. Once or twice she was sure she could hear a voice, a human voice. Laughter that was echoing almost imperceptibly on the wind that was blowing viciously around them. A high, evil laugh. A laugh that she was certain she had heard somewhere before. This was no ordinary snowstorm, she was certain of it. It felt like the wind was purposefully trying to blow them all straight off the face of the mountain. Subconsciously she reached under her cloak and took hold of the chain around her throat and it's beads of Tiger's eye.   
Almost as soon as she had taken the chain between her fingertips the wind seemed to drop and the snow lessened. Within minutes it had all but stopped.  
" What the…?" Guillaume started before glancing at Jo as she pushed her hood back and off her head. " Did you…did you stop it…?"  
" I…I don't know…I don't think I did…" She shrugged before grinning. " Anyway, the important thing is that it has stopped and so now maybe we can carry on a little quicker".  
" Sound great only one problem though…" Mark called over to her.  
" Which is…?" Jo brushed some of the snow off her cloak.  
" Where's the path gone…?" Mark gestured ahead across the snow that covered everything as far as the eye could see.  
" Ah," Jo bit her lip.  
" Hang up a minute, I'll fly up and have a look…" Lina said, dropping her pack into the snow and stretching her wings. " Chances are that with all this snow the path has just been buried a bit but I'll see if I can spot it…It's about time I stretched my wings anyway…" She winked before flapping her large wings and soaring up into the clear blue sky. The group watched as she soared higher before slipping out of sight behind the rocks above them.  
" We might as well grab a few minutes rest while we have the chance," Jo announced to the others who were only too eager to dump their packs. Although it seemed they were more intent on playing in the snow rather than resting. Jo sat down on a rock as she watched Mark, Rosie, Jenny and Lucy launch a four-man assault on the others with snowballs flying through the air with worrying speed and accuracy. It wasn't long before their brief energy spurt ran out and they collapsed into the snow. Aradia, who had been stood on the edge of the snow fight jumping every time a snow ball had even _threatened_ to hit her, headed over to where Jo was sat. Her boot slipped in the snow and she would have been sent sprawling if two arms hadn't appeared and caught her. However, as soon as she saw who it was she struggled to separate herself from them and instead of a thank you, they got a reproach.  
" Don't ever touch me again _Meander_!" Aradia spat at Glyndwr.  
" Trust me, never going to happen again," Glyndwr said equally acerbically as he turned and walked away muttering. " Even if my life depended on it…" Jo rolled her eyes and sighed heavily as Aradia came over to her. Jo pushed herself up to stand.  
" What's wrong now…?" Jo asked in the tone of someone who couldn't care less whether their question was answered or not. Aradia's eyebrows shot up on her forehead.  
" Who says there's anything wrong?" She demanded.  
" No one, only it's very rare for you to come to talk to me about anything unless it's to complain…" Jo smiled slightly as an embarrassed flush passed over the Princess' face for the briefest of moments.  
" Well…I…er…"  
" Look Aradia, whatever problem you have, chances are you're not the only one…" Jo looked around at the exhausted group surrounding them. " None of us are particularly used to this kind of thing…although we may have a slight advantage on yourself…"  
" I'm _just_ as used to all of this as you are…if not more so…" Aradia said rather huffily while Jo just smiled wickedly at her.  
" Of course you are…" And with that, Jo shoved Aradia rather indelicately into a nearby bank of snow. Aradia, having had no idea what was about to happen, fell straight into the soft snow and struggled to regain her footing as she scrambled out of it.  
" Y-y-y-you…." Aradia stuttered, partly from the cold but mainly from pure, unadulterated anger.  
" What?" Jo shrugged with mock innocence as the others proceeded to fall about laughing.  
" Why did you…that was so mean…" There was snow all over Aradia's cloak and her auburn hair was now hanging down in wet curls.  
" Oh stop complaining," Jo grinned as she watched Aradia stumble out of the snow bank. " I thought you said you were used to all this…You're acting as if no one's ever done that to you before!" Aradia opened her mouth to retort and Jo would have bet any money she had that Aradia's next words would include something about royalty somewhere but she wasn't going to give her the chance. " I'm sure _I_ would have done….given the chance…!" Aradia stood a few feet away from Jo, her lilac eyes narrowed.  
" I'll get you for that…" Aradia's voice was unusually threatening, even for her.  
" Yeah, course you will…" Jo smirked, almost daring her to try. Just as Aradia steeled herself to launch herself at Jo, a loud cry pierced the air. As the friends all froze and reached for their weapons, eyes turned to the sky in the direction of the sound. Aradia tried to take advantage of Jo's lack of attention and charged at her. Jo, it seemed however, was not so easily distracted and merely sidestepped Aradia's charge, causing her to fall head first into the snow again. As the Princess pulled her self up, spluttering and annoyed, Jo grinned. " Good try but better luck next time eh?"  
" What _was_ that…?" Lucy muttered, her dark eyes raking the skyline and surrounding rocks.  
" Where's Lina…?" Amos asked uncertainly. Another cry came to them on the crisp air and panic began to creep across each of their faces.  
" What the hell…?" Jo started, her green eyes skyward and a look of pure confusion on her face as a different cry carried on the air. This was no human sound; it was wilder and louder and as it echoed around them each of them subconsciously reached for their swords.  
Suddenly Lina shot across the blue sky above them, relief flooding their faces only to be washed away seconds later when something else shot over their heads.  
In close pursuit of Lina was the largest bird any of them had ever seen. With it's hooked beak and sharp talons glinting in the sunlight it was without a doubt a bird of prey.

" It looks like an eagle…a Golden Eagle…" Lucy muttered in awe as she shielded her eyes and watched it streaking through the sky after Lina.  
" Oh yeah you're right there," Rosie's tone hadn't even the slightest tone of awe to it. " A freakishly large _killer_ Golden Eagle but a Golden eagle nonetheless…well done Lucy…" Her voice dripped in sarcasm.  
" Well whatever it is, it's after Lina and it's gaining on her!" Impatience edged Martin's voice.  
" We've got to distract it or something…" Panic edged Simon's.  
" With what?!" Shrieked Amos. " If you're planning on waving it down here then you've got another thing coming! I'm no Egyptologist or whatever you call them but I reckon that thing's just as deadly on the ground as it is in the air…"  
" I don't know but we have to try something!" Simon shot back at him, his voice seeming to have raised an octave or so in the last few moments. His vivid blue eyes wide in fear and concern.  
A loud screech above them ended their brief and heated discussion. Lina had gone into a steep dive, the eagle in close pursuit.  
" Pull up, pull up, pull up…" Simon repeated over and over as the friends could do nothing but watch in horror. Lina and the eagle were racing towards the rocks below with frightening speed when suddenly Lina pulled up and shot into the air, her blue and white wings a blur. The eagle tried to pull up but it's bulk meant that it was slower in doing so and careered into a rock. The friends cheered as Lina hovered above them, and waved.  
" I'm ok!" She called down, her grin and relief evident even from the height she was at. " I think it's knocked out…" She started but didn't finish. There was a brown blur and the next thing the friends knew not only was the eagle _not_ knocked out but it was in the air. And it had Lina in its talons.  
" Lina!" Simon's voice, full of anguish, echoed off the rocks around them as Lina struggled to pry her way out of the eagle's grip.  
" I'm sure she'll be fine…I mean, it's Lina, if anyone can get their way out of this it's her!" Marius said hopefully.  
The eagle's talons gripped tighter and a scream from Lina destroyed Marius' optimism. The sharp claws had ripped through what looked like her left shoulder.  
" Lina!" Simon yelled again, fumbling with cold and trembling fingers to pull his gun from the holster on his thigh. Bertrande spotted him and yanked his hand away. He turned his tear-bright eyes to her, " But it could _kill_ her…"  
" And unless you aim carefully…so could you…" Bertrande said as gently as she could.  
A flash up above them alerted their attention once more and they realised that Lina had managed to pull her dagger from the sheath at her ankle. With a wide arc she swung her right arm around behind her, piercing the bird under its wing. A noise that the friends could only assume was the sound of an eagle in agony cut through the air and they watched in horror as it released its hold on Lina. She fell quickly through the air making no attempt to try and fly. Simon darted out and stood under her, waiting to catch her.  
Lina landed heavily in Simon's arms, so heavily and uncontrolled that he fell backwards onto the ground, fortunately cushioning Lina with his own body. A screech from above, alerted the friends to the fact that their latest enemy was still there and _still_ hungry. As well as slightly annoyed at having been stabbed and having been denied it's prey. Jo quickly grabbed at Lina's bow and took a few arrows and held them in her mouth. She scrambled up onto a larger rock just as the eagle swooped down over them once again. The other friends pressed themselves against the ground, holding their breath as they felt their cloaks ripple as the bird passed over them. Jo crouched on top of the rock, placing an arrow against the bow and taking aim.  
" Jo…be careful…" Mark called up as the eagle turned sharply above them, obviously preparing for another dive. Up on the rock Jo was trying to hold her hands steady enough to hold the bow straight and ignore the hammering in her chest and head.  
" Jo come down!" Jenny cried as she helped Simon carry the very still and pale Lina out of the direct flight path of the eagle who was diving with increased speed once again.  
" Jo you're going to get hurt!" Phillipe yelled, dodging as the eagle swooped down and wheeled up sharply into the sky once again, it's razor sharp talons barely missing his head.  
" Will you lot shut up for a minute!" Jo shouted back. " I need to concentrate on this right now…keep shouting at me and yes, I will get bloody hurt!" Frowning, she returned her attention to the bow in her hands and the eagle that had finally noticed her. She would only have time for one shot, one attempt before the eagle would snatch her from her precarious position on the rock. Too early and it might not reach it, it might miss. Too late, and it would be too late for a lot of things. It wheeled up in the clear sky before turning and beginning its dive straight for her. Jo took a deep breath and tried to steady her hands. She could hear Mithras' voice in her head,  
_" Concentrate…just concentrate…"_  
She let out the breath slowly, never taking her eyes from the large bird of prey now shooting down towards her. She pulled back on the arrow, oblivious to the cries of the others as the eagle drew ever nearer. She could see it's golden eyes looking straight at her, unblinking and unmistakably focused on it's target. Its lethal talons were raised beneath it and were ready to spear her upon impact. Not yet.  
_" Concentrate…"_  
Jo took another deep breath and aimed the bow straight in the centre of the bird's chest.  
Now or never.   
No sooner had Jo loosed the arrow than the eagle collided with her, sending them both falling to the ground.  
They both hit the floor with a muffled thump and for a moment Jo wasn't sure if she was alive or dead. The bird's weight was laying heavily on her and she couldn't breathe. Then the pressure lifted as the others yanked the heavy form off of her.  
" Oh my god…you're bleeding…" Guillaume collapsed down next to her as he spotted several bloodstains upon her tunic. Jo frowned and glanced down, gingerly touching the fabric before sighing.  
" Don't worry, it's not mine…it's from old 'Tweety Pie' over there…" Jo gestured at the eagle now lying motionless a few feet from her. The arrow sticking out of its breast, her shot having been clearly fatal. Billabong sniffed at the dead eagle with his hackles raised and a untrusting growling sort of noise coming from deep inside his chest. Guillaume helped Jo to her feet and they all clustered around Simon and Lina.  
The wound was worse than they had feared. The eagle had not only pierced through Lina's shoulder but her wing had also been punctured in the attack. Her gleaming white feathers slowly turning pink around the wound. Simon had pulled her up against him and sat, his head resting on hers, with tears in his eyes and her hand tightly held in his.  
" What do we do…?" Phillipe muttered.  
" I'm fine…" Lina said through gritted teeth. " Give…give me a minute and then…then I'll be back on my feet…"  
" I think you're going to need more than a minute or two…"Aradia smiled gently at the warrior.  
" Wrap this round her," Jo handed over her cloak that she had shrugged off.  
" But Jo…the snow…I mean…" Guillaume started.  
" Take it!" Jo urged, practically throwing it at Simon. " I don't need it right now and we need to keep her warm."  
" I don't need it…" Lina echoed but her voice lacked it's usually conviction as Simon swathed her in the purple and black fabric.  
" Course you don't," Jo said gently, smiling as she squeezed Lina's good shoulder and stood up.  
" So what _do_ we do now…?" Lucy asked.  
" We can't exactly go charging onwards now, not until Lina's strength is back at any rate…" Rosie said quietly.  
" Well, whatever we're going to do we need to do it sooner rather than later," Glyndwr said suddenly, his sharp eyes fixed on the sky. Sweeping back and forth.  
" But it's dead…surely you don't think it's going to come back to life do you…?" Aradia scoffed.  
" No, but that's a male eagle…" Raised eyebrows met his gaze. " You can tell by the plumage…"  
" That's 'feathers' to you…" Martin hissed at Amos who reacted with a swift elbow in the side.  
" Watch it farm boy," He shot back.  
" Anyway…" Glyndwr continued with a firmer tone. " The chances are he has a mate somewhere up here…it's unlike an eagle to attack large prey for the sake of it…"  
" Unless it was protecting something…" Jo glanced up higher into the mountains.  
" So there could be another one…?!" Marius gulped.  
" Possibly…and if there is, she'll be even more pissed off than he was…!" Glyndwr said pointedly.  
" So whatever we're going to do, we need to ideally get out of sight…" Mark mused.  
" The path…" Lina's voice came through to them and they swung around to face her. " I thought it had vanished…couldn't see it…but there was a large cliff face…I thought I saw a crevice or a cave…the path headed towards it,"  
" Sounds good to me," Jo grinned to the groans of the others.  
" So you want us to go from _this_ to a dark cave where God knows what may be lurking to get us!" Amos practically shrieked.  
" Let's not let our imaginations run away with us," Jenny said gently, smiling at him.  
" The choice is out here in the wide open, where we know we'll have no chance if Mrs. Psycho-Bird shows up, or…" Rosie began before being cut off by Aradia. " Or a cave which could have any number of equally lethal qualities…" The Princess stood up and spoke firmly.  
" True," Jo nodded briefly, " But, we _know_ that it's dangerous out here whereas we _don't_ know about the cave yet…"  
" How far away was it…?" Phillipe asked Lina.  
" Half an hour's walk…" Lina looked up at them all, off whom had concern clearly written on their faces. " Don't worry about me, it's only my shoulder that hurt's and I wouldn't be flying anyway…"  
" We'll walk slowly and together," Jo said clearly as she bent down to help Simon lift Lina to her feet. The young warrior swayed slightly. Jo reached into her pack and pulled out some berries. " Eat these you need to get your sugar levels up, you've had a shock _and_ you're losing blood…" Jo turned to face the others with a serious face. " And the rest of us need to keep our eyes open…and weapons ready…" She laid a hand on her sword for emphasis that was wasn't actually needed. Most of them had their swords and knives in their hands already. " Come on, we'd best get going, Simon, you walk with Lina and I want you two near the front. Lina knows where we have to go plus that way we won't go too quickly for you..."  
" Let get going then," Lina said as firmly as she could, trying to shrug Jo's cloak off of her put Jo pulled it back around her.  
" Sound good to me…" The others readied their packs to begin as Jo whispered softly to Lina. " You still need this cloak more than I do…Once you start walking and you've warmed up a bit then you can give it back…" She smiled gently and was relieved to see Lina return it as she started to climb once again, followed by the others. Jo and Guillaume were the last to join the group; Guillaume took hold of her hand as they walked after the others.  
" You warm enough without your cloak…?" Guillaume's dark eyes looked ahead but they might as well have been looking straight at Jo such was the tone of his voice.  
" I'm fine, Lina's the one who's been wounded not me…besides…" Jo stopped walking and pulled Guillaume to stand closer to her. " If I get cold…I've always got you to warm me up haven't I…?" She winked as he put his arms around her.  
" Just give me the word…and I'm all yours…" Guillaume smirked back before lowered his head and kissing her gently. Jo pulled her head away from his, her cheeks flushed slightly and she sighed.  
" See, much warmer already…" Jo squeezed his hand.  
" If you think that's warm you should see what I can do when…" Guillaume started but Jo reached up and laid a finger on his lips.  
" Not now sweetheart…" She grinned as they started walking after the others. " If we're too long the others will think we've been eaten by a mountain lion or something…" With a heavy sigh Guillaume allowed Jo to drag him along and the group carried on climbing ever higher into the mountains.

The snow held off for the rest of the afternoon and the wind remained little more than a fresh breeze. The sun shone down on them sparkling off the snow around them as if a million jewels had been sprinkled there. But the friends didn't have the time or the inclination to admire the effect it created.  
However, even with Lina's injury they seemed to making good progress and even though it seemed like more than an hour had passed, they soon found themselves on a ledge next to a large cave. Collapsing onto the snow, the friends huddled round while Jo and Guillaume made a fire from some of the wood they had collected the day before. Soon they had gotten a small fire blazing away, wood crackling merrily before them.  
" Lina, how's your shoulder…?" Jo asked as she handed out some of their precious food rations.  
" Hurting like hell thanks…but I guess it could be worse," Lina smiled weakly, accepting her portion of berries. " It's my wing more than anything but I can cope…"  
" Let's just be thankful Jo managed to shoot it before it grabbed hold of anyone else…" Simon said quietly, putting an arm around Lina and pulling her against his side.  
" So, what now…?" Lina smiled as she snuggled closer against Simon's chest.  
" Well I guess it's into the cave…" Jo sighed. " Unless there's anything on the trusty map…" Jo tossed a few berries into her mouth while Phillipe scanned the map.  
" Well unless I'm much mistaken…there's nothing on the map…"  
" Nothing of interest, or nothing at all…?" Aradia frowned slightly, putting her hands nearer to the flames to warm them.  
" Nothing at all," Phillipe's brows were low over his eyes.  
" That's odd…" Bertrande nudged a branch further onto the fire with her boot.  
" Not really, no one's really travelled here in the mountains much," Aradia said knowledgably. The others looked at her somewhat stunned. " Ishtar has always refuted Vaniria's rule of the mountain lands and seeing as how there's nothing much here we need, no one's ever bothered to come and speak to her about it…we've just tended to leave her to it…"  
" But there _is_ something we need…we need that crystal and Dedra said that she had it…" Jo groaned. Glyndwr snorted loudly.  
" Well let's not take everything Dedra said at face value…" His voice had a distinct tone of annoyance to it.  
" Why Glyndwr…? What's…?" Jo started but she stopped mid sentence and shot a finger to her lips signalling the others should keep quiet.  
There was the sound of snow crunching under foot and the friends froze around their small fire. Eyes flashing back and forth across the flames, deciding what to do. Jo reached down and pulled a smaller branch from the fire and glanced at the others who were silently drawing their knives and swords once again. The sound had been close by. Someone or something had managed to get close to them without them even noticing and all they had left now on their side was the chance of surprise. Jo held up her hand in front of her with three fingers extended, she put one down, then another and then the last one before spinning on her heel and jumping to her feet. The others followed suit, leaping up and brandishing their weapons before them. But not one of them attacked, the sight that met their eyes took them completely off their guard.  
At first they thought bears that were carrying spears had surrounded them. A thought that whilst bordering on the insane wasn't, in fact, too far from the truth. They found themselves surrounded by a group of men, all of whom were clad in thick, dark furs; some with heads some without. One particularly tall man looked as close to a real bear as any of the friends had ever seen. This man stepped forwards and glared at them all. His skin had obviously been weathered by the cold and his eyes narrowed and dark. His gaze swept over them all and their weapons.  
" Who _are_ they?" Phillipe said quietly.  
" What does it matter, they're big, scary and armed…what more do we need to know…" Amos scoffed slightly, even though his voice was trembling.  
" Follow…" The tall man said after a moment or two. The friends stood still.  
" What now…?" Guillaume said firmly, his sword held in both hands before him.  
" As far as I can see we have two options…follow…or fight…" Martin said through gritted teeth beside him. " What does everyone else think…?" But before anyone else could give their opinion the tall bear like man swept one of his arms outward and knocked the burning branch from Jo's hand.  
" Follow," The tallest man said again, this time raising his spear and pointing it first at Jo and then in the direction of the cave.  
" Well, I think voting on our next move is probably out of the question," Jo hissed back to the others. " Trying to fight them is useless, we have no where to run to even if we did break free. We'll follow them and hopefully they'll take us straight to Ishtar or at least find help for Lina…" She took a step towards the tall man before pausing and looking back at the others. " Oh and unlike in the Blue Wood…this time, can we keep our weapons to _ourselves_…?!" Jo's rhetorical question bounced off the rocks around them and she was relieved to see Rosie re-sheathing her dagger and Phillipe putting his sword away. Turning back to the tall man she formed her face into what she hoped was an innocent and friendly expression. Gesturing forward, she smiled, " You lead, we follow…" The tall man grunted something in reply and headed into the cave's entrance. Jo took a deep breath before following him. " Everyone stay close together…" She called back as she followed the man into the cave and everything went dark. It took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the darkness now surrounding them all.  
It became clear very quickly that this was no ordinary cave. The floor beneath their feet was smooth and the walls also looked as if they had been carefully constructed. There were no torches on the walls and those that they were following carried no light but still it wasn't totally dark inside. It was almost as if there was a soft light coming from…somewhere. The tall man strode down the passageway and the friends followed. As they went deeper inside the mountain the air grew gradually colder and colder, their breath rising in white clouds before them. Jo fought the urge to start shivering and cleng lamps.  
" Search me, but I wouldn't mind betting that they know Ishtar…" Jo muttered back.  
" But why…?s arm and pointed with his spear further down the corridor. Jo stepped forwards and pried his fingers from the wounded warrior's arm.  
" Yes, yes…we follow…" Jo nodded as the man continued and they followed him. The group had no choice but to cooperate, they were out numbered at least five to one and the weapons carried by their ambushers were enough to keep even Aradia's comments at bay. Well, most of them at least.  
" Who do you reckon these guys are anyway…?" Lucy hissed, repeated Phillipe's earlier question as they walked on and under another of the strange glowing lamps.  
" Search me, but I wouldn't mind betting that they know Ishtar…" Jo muttered back.  
" But why…?" Jenny whispered over to them.  
" Well, with the weather conditions being what they are I can't believe that there are _that_ many tribes living up here,"  
" Fair point," Mark pulled his cloak and Bertrande closer to himself.  
" What about you Glyndwr…any idea about who our new friends are…?" Rosie asked.  
" Mountain dwellers without a doubt but…" He started only to be greeted by a snort from Aradia.  
" Of course they're mountain dwellers, do they look much like desert nomads to anyone else?!" The others tried to ignore this statement.  
" But…" Glyndwr continued. " Whoever they are we need to be careful, we're on their territory now and…well…" He swallowed nervously.  
" Well what?" Simon frowned, one arm looped around Lina's waist as he helped her walk.  
" Well just think about it for a minute, if they've put all this effort into hiding their home from the outside world, do you honestly believe they're just going to invite us in without any kind of trouble?" Glyndwr's eyes sparkled as they walked under yet another lamp and the friends couldn't answer. Not only had he voiced something that many of them had been thinking but also something had happened to their surroundings.  
The tunnel they had been walking down had suddenly opened out into a huge cavernous room and the sights aro-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'>'s voice was clear and full of disbelief. " There is a band of 'Students Jo said firmly back.  
As they walked they suddenly became aware of lots of pairs of eyes watching them from the sides of the room and noticed that there were at least a hundred more fur clad strangers surrounding them. At the end of the room was a large door, wrought in silver by all appearances and carved in the same way as the ice had been. The tall man stepped up and knocked on the doors with his spearhead. The doors slowly opened and the friends were ushered through them. The room on the other side was smaller but no less ornate and as the.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>d need you-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'>'s voice was clear and full of disbelief. " There is a band of 'Students Jo said firmly back.  
As they walked they suddenly became aware of lots of pairs of eyes watching them from the sides of the room and noticed that there were at least a hundred more fur clad strangers surrounding them. At the end of the room was a large door, wrought in silver by all appearances and carved in the same way as the ice had been. The tall man stepped up and knocked on the doors with his spearhead. The doors slowly opened and the friends were ushered through them. The room on the other side was smaller but no less ornate and as they entered the chamber they were instantly awames New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'>" Martin hissed to Phillipe.  
" Mithras I guess…" He answered but there was a certain element of certainty lacking in his voice.  
" So, the rumours are true…" Ishtar'" Martin hissed to Phillipe.  
" Mithras I guess…" He answered but there was a certain element of certainty lacking in his voice.  
" So, the rumours are true…" Ishtar" Martin hissed to Phillipe.  
" Mithras I guess…" He answered but there was a certain element of certainty lacking in his voice.  
" So, the rumours are true…" Ishtar's voice was clear and full of disbelief. " There is a band of 'Students' roaming around the countryside…" She picked up a long silver staff that had been leaning next to her chair and the friends noticed in surprise that at the top was mounted a large chunk of crystal. She made her way over to them, stopping in front of Jo. " And I take it you are the leader of this…little group…" Jo slowly looked up into the woman's face.  
" My name is Jo, your grace, but a leader I am not…" She said calmly. " However, I do speak for all of us when I thank you and your people for allowing us to enter here…" Jo paused and swallowed.  
" Yes, I'm sure you do, and no doubt you have come seeking more than just entrance," Ishtar scoffed as she leant on the staff, her dark eyes flicking from Jo's face to the crystal and back to Jo's eyes.  
" We _do_ wish to ask a favour of your grace," Jo admitted.  
" I thought as much…" Ishtar's voice became harder and her eyes narrowed. " Well then, ask away, although I make no promises to fulfil what you ask…" Jo bowed her head slightly before continuing.  
" One of us is wounded…" Simon brought Lina forwards, pulling back the cloaks to reveal her wound. " We were attacked by an eagle and…well…this is the result…" Jo looked back at the leader before her. " If your grace could provide us with something to clean and dress the wound we would be in your debt…."  
Ishtar laughed slightly and wandered away.  
" You come all this way, into my mountains and all you ask for is some bandages…" She looked back, one thin dark eyebrow raised. " But what of your quest…why do you not ask for help there…?" Ishtar seemed genuinely taken aback by Jo's request but still Jo continued.  
" If one of us is wounded your grace then there is no way our quest can continue. The task we have been set is obviously of great importance but we will sacrifice no one for it…nothing is worth that…" Ishtar stood in silence for a moment, apparently thinking. Before sighing, looking over at them and tapping the staff on the floor.  
" Sanni," She said to the tall man next to the door. " Get water, bandages, food and water for our guests…" The tall man bowed slightly before going back out through the doorway. " You and your friends will be tended to shortly," Ishtar said as she crossed the room and sat back down gracefully in the chair. " The eagles have plagued my people for many years and we all owe you at least this much for ridding us of one of them…"  
" Thank you," Jo bowed her head once again as Sanni re-entered the room with two other men carrying baskets of food, jugs of what smelt like wine and some water and bandages. Lucy and Aradia set about cleaning and dressing Lina's wound while the others picked at the food.  
" So…I take it you have come here in search of the crystal…" Ishtar said suddenly, making the friends jump a little and flush.  
" It is true that the crystals are the reason for our quest," Jo admitted, taking a sip of her wine.  
" And I expect you have come to take mine from me," The mountain ruler's eyes glowed dangerously. Jo stayed seated and sipped some more from her goblet.  
" No your grace, we have not…"  
" You…you haven't…?" Ishtar wandered closer to them, an expression of intrigue on her face.  
" No," Jo put down her goblet and looked up into her face. " We have come to _ask_ you for it…" Ishtar stood silently for a moment before bursting into loud laughter. Wiping tears from her eyes and leaning on the staff for support she sighed,  
" 'Ask' for it?!" She smiled. " My dear, surely you don't expect me to _give_ this to you…do you?!"  
" That is what I had hoped your grace, yes," Jo confessed.  
" Then you have wasted your time…I will never give up this crystal to anyone…least of all to envoys of Vaniria!" She jabbed at the seal pinned to Jo's tunic and Jo sighed heavily.  
" Then it will only be a matter of time before the darkness that is spreading across the rest of the land reaches you here…"  
" But surely you don't think…" Ishtar began but Jo cut her off, rising slowly to her feet.  
" These tunnels and hidden chambers may have kept you hidden for so long but nothing can hide from this evil that is threatening to take over and destroy all that is good. Keep the crystal if that is what you want…but the fates of your people and those of everyone in Vaniria and Aesina rests on that crystal…" Jo was at least a head shorter than Ishtar but she spoke as if the ruler was a child.  
An uncomfortable silence followed in which much thinking took place. The friends didn't doubt for a second that as valiant as Jo's speech had been, it would be the last thing she would ever say. Jo was thinking the same thing, judging by the furious expression on Ishtar's face. Whereas Ishtar's thoughts were less clear. She glared at Jo for a few minutes before turning away and pacing slowly up and down. Muttering to herself. The friends exchanged confused glances once again before she stopped pacing and turned to face them.  
" The rule of the mountains has fallen to my ancestors and I for many many years now and I will _not_ lose it to a faceless coward who takes control by darkness and shadow," Ishtar's head was held high. " This crystal shall be yours..." Ishtar started quietly.  
" Thank you your grace," Jo bowed her head slightly while the others now exchanged brief looks of triumph.  
" But it will come with a price," The Leader paused as Jo's head snapped back up to look her in the eyes once again. " If you want it, one of you must fight for it. Prove that you are strong enough to continue the quest you have undertaken and you shall have it," Her eyes scanned the group while a slight smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. " So, which of you will fight…"  
Jo opened her mouth to respond before realising what question had been asked. When she did she promptly closed it again. This was somewhat unexpected. Having been apparently welcomed into this place, despite their initial suspicions, the last thing any of them had expected now was to be challenged to fight. The friends exchanged glances, Guillaume took hold of Jo's hand once again and squeezed it so she looked up at him and he mouthed,  
" Don't you dare" She sighed and shook her head at him. She knew she couldn't fight but who would…  
" I will," A voice came through the silence suddenly, causing Ishtar to start slightly and the friends to swing round to see the speaker. As they did so their mouths dropped open.  
" Y-y-you can't…" Jenny started.  
" I can…" Amos' tone was firm as he looked back at them all defiantly. " …And I will!"


	29. PART 65

" No, Amos you can't," Jo said firmly as she turned around to face the young volunteer.  
" Why not?" Amos asked plainly, Jo floundered for a moment or two.  
" Because…because…well you just can't!"  
" That's not a reason," Amos countered.  
" Oh yes it is!" Jenny all but shouted, her cheeks flushed in pure panic.  
" You're too young," Jo added quickly as an after thought.  
" I am _not_! I'm not much younger than you are!" Amos now sounded plain hurt.  
" Ok…bad reason but…" Jo admitted.  
" So, have you reached a decision…?" Ishtar asked calmly from behind them calmly.  
" No!" Shouted all but Amos in unison.  
" Yes," He called out over their voices.  
" But Amos…" Jo and Jenny started at the same time but he held his hands up to stop them both.  
" I know you're only worried about me but it's about time I did something useful and as I recall I wasn't _that_ bad in my training…was I, Lina…?" He looked over at the winged warrior with nothing short of pleading in his blue eyes. The others turned to look over at her as well.  
" It's true…he was quite good…" Lina admitted.  
" _Quite_ good…?!" Simon exclaimed. " You want us to entrust this to someone who is only _quite_ good!"  
" I don't hear you volunteering for anything so shut it Fuzzy!" Amos grumbled grabbing a plum from the bowl of fruit on the table and lobbing it at Simon's head.  
" Yeah well I remember that bruise you gave yourself from bashing yourself round the head…so maybe it's you who should shut up…" Simon smirked as he caught it smoothly in his hand with a grin and chucked it back viciously at Amos who ducked before it could reach him. The plum continued to sail through the air until Ishtar caught it mid-flight. She carefully wiped it on her sleeve before taking a bite.  
" If the juggling is over…" She said taking another bite. " Can you _please_ reach a decision…"  
" The decision has been made…" Amos said boldly before throwing a more nervous sideways glance at Jo. " Hasn't it…?" Jo glanced into his face; it held a mixture of nervousness and determination.  
" You're sure you want to do this…?" Jo asked gently.  
" Positive," Amos said his chest swelling slightly, Jo's mouth curved into a slight smile before she turned to face Ishtar once again.  
" Yes, our fighter shall be Amos…"  
" Excellent," Ishtar exclaimed as she took a final bite out of the plum and discarded the stone.  
" May we ask who is to be his opponent and what weapons shall be used…?" Lina said as strongly as she could manage.  
" Of course," The mountain ruler stood up and smoothed her fur-trimmed cloak. " The weapons will be staffs…seeing as how this won't a fight to the death, or at least it shouldn't be…" There was a sudden gleam in Ishtar's hazel eyes that made a small high-pitched noise come out of Jenny's mouth. " Then I believe staffs will be the most effective weapons to hand…unless you object…?" Lina winked briefly at Amos who shot a confident smile back. Staffs he and she both knew he could handle very well.  
" No your grace, staffs sound like an excellent suggestion…and his opponent…?"  
" Sanni," Ishtar said, beckoning the bear like man over.  
" You're having a laugh," Jo exclaimed, seemingly forgetting all about decorum.  
" No," Ishtar frowned slightly. " He is the opponent I choose…"  
" Oh, great…" Jo feigned a smile, looking Sanni up and down. He was at least twice as wide as Amos and a good three feet taller. " Wonderful…" She added under her breath turning back to the others.  
" I really don't think this is a good idea…" Martin offered.  
" Why…?" Amos frowned over at his practice partner.  
" Because that guy's the size of a small house and because I had to practice with you, remember!" Martin answered plainly.  
" Size has nothing to do with anything…" Rosie said indignantly, as she was good head shorter than most of them.  
" Its true…remember what happened with David and Goliath!" Lucy added cheerfully.  
" Amos…you don't have to do this…really…" Jenny urged more than assured him.  
" I know you're all worried that I'm going to screw this up but please, let me do this," Amos' eyes shone briefly. " I've watched you all do things to help us along…Guillaume back in Jerusalem, Lucy at the lake, Glyndwr in the woods, Lina in the mountains, Jo…most of the time…" He smirked as Jo flushed slightly. " I just want to have my shot at helping this quest too…please, let me do this…I swear I won't let you down…"  
The others exchanged glances before turning back and smiling at him.  
" You better not drop that staff this time!" Mark grinned.  
" Remember keep balanced and stay low…" Martin added as Amos grinned.  
" With my height that last part shouldn't be a problem!"  
" Then I take it we are ready…" Ishtar folded her arms slowly across her chest, quirking an eyebrow.  
" Yes _we're_ ready," Amos sighed heavily.  
" Then let us go into the hall…I'm sure many of my people would enjoy watching this little match…" Without waiting for an answer, Ishtar picked up her staff and, followed by Sanni, she went through the doors and out into the hall.  
" Yeah, I bet they would," Jo grumbled as the friends headed out after her. At the back of the group Jenny grabbed Amos' arm and pulled him back to wait for a moment.  
" I'll be fine," Amos reassured her, seeing the nervous tears welling up in her clear blue eyes.  
" You better be…" Jenny smiled weakly before pulling him into a tight embrace. "…or I'll kill you!" She added as they separated and followed the others into the hall.  
The edge of the hall was lined with people, all clad in fur and all looking menacingly at Amos as he walked out in front of them. The small group of friends stood out a mile in their black cloaks. Amos shrugged his white lined cloak off and handed it to Jenny as he passed giving her a slight grin as he did so.  
A woman with a grim expression thrust a wooden staff into his hands before he headed out into the centre of the room to stand in front of Sanni who already had his staff in his hands. The two men stood opposite each other, a staff's length between them just looking at each other.  
" Good luck…" Amos said to him in a voice that sounded much braver than he felt. Sanni merely looked down at him as if he were a particularly large bug that needed squashing. " Or not…" Amos swallowed nervously.  
" Fighters…prepare…" Ishtar's voice echoed out in the silent hall. The two men took their staffs in their left hands, their eyes boring into each other's. " Ready…" The silence in the hall was so strong it felt like it was pressing down on Amos as he tried to concentrate. He would have to be quick off the mark or he just knew Sanni would simply beat him to a pulp with his first blow. " Disarm!" Ishtar bellowed and the fight began.

To say Sanni was quick off the mark would be something of an understatement. Despite his incredible size, the large man practically flew through the air at him the minute Ishtar's voice had started to fade in the air. Amos didn't have time to block or counter attack. All he could do was duck and hope for the best. Fortunately for him Sanni merely went straight over his head, skidding slightly as he touched down and spinning back round to face Amos; who by this point was back on his feet, staff held up in front of his chest and a harsh expression on his face.  
The air was suddenly filled with the clashing of wood against wood as the two men began to attack each other with great speed and efficiency. The noise echoed off the ice and rock around them and the effect was deafening.  
" Oh I don't want to watch this…" Jenny gasped, covering her face with Amos' cloak as Sanni swung his staff hard and narrowly missed Amos' head. Rosie rubbed her friend's arm consolingly.  
" Don't worry," She said softly. " I think that Amos is better than we all give him credit for…" There was a gasp from the friends as Amos retaliated and almost clubbed Sanni soundly round the head before swinging his staff around again and took the man's legs out from under him. Sanni hit the ground with a loud crash and a cheer arose from the friends. Amos turned to grin at them,  
" See I told you I wouldn't let you…" He shouted before Sanni struck out, whilst still lying on the floor, catching him behind his knees and sending him crashing to the floor as well. The cry that rose up from Ishtar's people was deafening and the friends could only watch as Sanni flicked his legs out and was up on his feet in the flicker of an eye. " I thought you said this wasn't a fight to the death…" Jenny shrieked as Amos dodged a vicious blow from Sanni as he tried to get up off the floor, Sanni's club narrowly missing his face once again.  
" I said it _shouldn't_ be…" Ishtar replied as calmly as if they were discussing the weather.  
Amos leapt to his feet and charged at Sanni with a series of quick blows, the larger man blocked them all but with difficulty. For the first time the friends saw a distinct look of panic cross his face. Amos had practically backed Sanni up against the wall and he rammed his staff down towards Sanni but the larger man blocked it. The two men struggled to push the others staff out of the way when suddenly Sanni's rock like fist came away from his staff and smashed down across Amos' face, rocking his head back and causing him to stumble backwards. As he regained his balance the friends could see his nose was bleeding rather heavily.  
" Hey!" Jo yelled, " Now that's not on…!!" She tried to walk out into the centre of the room but as soon as she moved forwards two of Ishtar's men were by her sides holding her back.  
" Your fighter is Amos and unless you wish to trade places with him then I suggest you _stay_ where you are…" Ishtar's voice held a distinct tone of warning as she spoke to Jo without even taking her eyes off the fight before her. Jo frowned angrily and shook the two men off her arms.  
" Fine, you want to fight dirty…then we'll fight dirty…" Jo murmured under her breath as she returned her gaze to Amos and Sanni who were still going at each other with everything they had. Amos stumbled slightly as Sanni began to drive him backwards but before Amos could even worry about Sanni taking advantage of the situation Sanni fell over himself and was sent sprawling across the floor. Amos' face flashed with confusion as Sanni stumbled back up, bewilderment clearly showing on his face.  
" What happened there…?" Phillipe mumbled as the two men charged again.  
" Dunno, must have tripped over his own feet or something," Guillaume shrugged before shooting a sideways glance at Jo who was trying to keep a grin from forming on her face. She shrugged in mock innocence as Guillaume raised his dark eyebrows at her questioningly.  
" What?" She opened her eyes wide. " It's not my fault if he's a _clumsy oaf_ now is it?!" She shouted her insult loudly before winking at him.  
While Sanni was trying to regain his composure Amos charged at him, his staff a blur and it was all Sanni could do to block his moves. Within a few minutes of furious fighting the two men had once again locked their staffs in front of them. Just as Sanni took his hand off his staff and rose it up to obviously hit him again Amos merely grinned up at him.  
" I don't think so boy!" With that Amos brought his right knee up sharply and Sanni's eyes watered instantly.  
" Good one Amos!" Jo yelled in approval before being cut short by Guillaume.  
" Jo! Don't encourage him…!"  
Sanni staggered backwards for a few paces, clearly trying to keep a focus on Amos and on his staff. Suddenly, and without warning, Sanni seemed to recover from his pain and charged at Amos with a roar. His staff flying the air with worrying speed and accuracy. Sanni was soon driving Amos backwards and Amos was evidently finding it hard to keep up. Within seconds their staffs were locked again and Amos' back was nearly against the wall. He had only one choice. Amos yanked his staff free and flicked it hard. To everyone's surprise, not least Sanni's, his opponent's staff was sent flying through the air and it landed near the far wall with a crash.  
Sanni stood open mouthed for the briefest of moments before closing his eyes and standing still, obviously waiting Amos' final move. The heavy silence returned to the hall once more. Amos took a deep breath, raised his staff above his head and launched it. But it never made contact, at least not with Sanni. After a moment there was a loud bang and Sanni opened his eyes in confusion. Amos' blow had not hit Sanni, and nor had he intended it to. Amos had thrown his staff to the far end of the hall where it had landed with a crash next to Sanni's. Amos was now stood, unarmed and with his hand outstretched.  
" Enough," Amos said, his chest heaving in exhaustion. " I won't kill any man…least of all for a piece of rock…"  
After a moment's hesitation a smile covered Sanni's face as he stepped forward and took Amos' hand and shook it strongly before pulling him into a tight bear hug. That was when the noise started.  
The cheering was as loud as thunder and to Jo's relief it was coming from both the group of friends and Ishtar's people. Ishtar slowly stood up from her seat, applauding loudly. After a few moments of tumultuous applause, during which Amos blushed furiously and Jenny burst into tears of relief, Ishtar held up her hands for silence.  
" The fight is won…" Her voice echoed in the now quiet hall. " And to the champion, there is an award to be given…" She smiled at Amos before glancing down and winking at Jo.  
The friends gathered in the hall, along with Ishtar's mountain tribe as the crystal chunk was removed from her staff. Ishtar stood before them all, her hazel eyes sweeping over them all before she called Amos and Jo up to her.  
" Jo, you and your friends will always be recognised as friends of my people…" Ishtar announced loudly, touching her staff onto Jo's shoulder.  
" Thank you," Jo said solemnly.  
" And my people and I will forever honour _your_ friendship young Amos," Ishtar touched Amos' shoulders with her staff before shaking his hand heartily. He grinned and blushed slightly. " You will always be welcome into our realm and have only to ask and our home will be yours." With that Ishtar held out the crystal chunk in her hands.  
" Thank you," Was all he could say in return, taking the crystal from her hands and stepping back to join the others.  
" This map will lead you straight through the mountains to the Thundering Falls which is where I believe you will be heading next…" She handed over a piece of parchment with a definite twinkle in her eyes. The friends bid the leader farewell and set off down the corridor that her people indicated to them. Jo was the last to say goodbye.  
" Thank you for everything your grace…" Jo bowed her head once more.  
" You're more than welcome…" Ishtar bowed hers in return. " May the gods watch over you on this journey and remember…if ever you need us…you have only to summon and my people and I will be there for you,"  
" I'll remember that." Jo smiled warmly, shaking the leader's hand before turning and following the others down the corridor and out of sight.


	30. PART 66

The journey through the mountain was cold but relatively easy, thanks largely to the map given to them by Ishtar. The group also seemed to be considerably happier as a whole; which was hardly surprising given that they now had three crystals in their possession, they knew the location of the fourth, it was not far ahead of them and, so far, they were relatively unscathed. Amos had come out of his fight in Ishtar's community with a small cut across his nose his only _obvious_ wound and Lina, having been attacked by a mountain eagle a few days earlier, was also recovering slowly but surely from the injuries to her wing and shoulder. The only unhappy one seemed to be Billabong. The cold air and darkness clearly didn't agree with the regit and he spent most of the journey padding along with his head down, avoiding the rest of them. He _even_ refused to let Lina stroke him when they all stopped to rest. He merely laid down a little way away from the group and looked up at them with an expression on his face and shining in his lamp-like eyes that clearly said '_This is not one of your better ideas!_'. They were travelling under the mountains, through the ornately carved tunnels for what they believed to have been several days, although without the sun to act as a guide they couldn't be too certain. All they knew for certain was that they had slept twice and had walked the rest of the time. While they didn't have a scale by which they could judge the length of time their journey was taking, the map _did_ however give them some clues as to the distance they were travelling. Just as on the land, there were various landmarks that they passed on their way which allowed them to plot their course gradually. Particularly ornate archways, underground pools and huge falls, all of which helped guide them through the darkness. However, as beautiful and as awe-inspiring as all these tunnels and huge underground caverns were, the friends were more than happy when they could smell fresher air blowing on their faces and spotted the light becoming gradually brighter and less green and pale.  
Eventually the light got so bright that they had to shield their eyes for a few moments. It was a glorious day and the friends welcomed the warmth on their faces as they left the cool darkness behind them.  
" Mmm…that's better," Simon sighed, shrugging off his cloak and practically basking in the sunshine.  
" You're telling me!" Martin grinned turning his face upwards to face the sky. The group wandered for a short distance away from the mountainside before dropping their packs and resting. Looking around they were able to see that the scenery had changed once again. Although the horizon was still wide and relatively flat, the vegetation was much more lush and leafy. Although you couldn't really call it verdant as it all had a very definite yellow tinge to it.  
" Well we've had blue and green trees before now…" Amos stretched out on his back on a large rock. " Why not yellow?!"  
" We must be way over towards the East by now," Rosie was sat with her knees bent and he arms outstretched and resting on them, her dark eyes scanning the new terrain before them.  
" Anything obvious on the map Phillipe?" Mark called over as he folded up his cloak and pushed it inside his pack.  
" Well, I think that's a river over there," Phillipe gestured vaguely over to the left of them. " And there's a river marked on here…"  
" How do we know it's the right river?" Aradia yawned, scratching her nose delicately.  
" Even if it's not _the_ river marked on here it's the only landmark we have to aim for right now so we might as well head over that way…" Jo glanced over her shoulder at the young princess.  
" Sounds like a plan to me," Aradia sighed, leaning back on her palms and closing her eyes.  
" Did she just agree with Jo just then…?" Lucy whispered to Jenny.  
" Yeah, but I wouldn't make a big thing of it…they'll be arguing by nightfall and normality will return!" Jenny winked back, stifling a giggle.  
" How long do you think before we have to get going again…?" Marius asked quietly.  
" To be honest, I reckon we made good time through the mountains," Jo twisted her long hair up and jabbed a stick through it to keep it out of the way. " We also got another crystal so I think we can afford to rest for a few hours yet," She smiled as the sighed of relief drifted over to her. " Besides, there must be a spring round here somewhere and some of the fruit on these bushes doesn't look too bad so who knows…we may even camp here tonight."  
" Well, if you want my opinion…sounds like an excellent idea," Lina offered whilst in the middle of checking her bandaged shoulder and wing.  
" I'm sure I heard water before," Glyndwr called over, " And even if that fruit isn't edible I'm sure I can find us something to eat,"  
" Yeah, I'll bet…" Aradia muttered not quite under her breath.  
" Anyone object…?" Jo quirked an eyebrow, almost daring one of the group to try but she wasn't in the least surprised that no one voiced dissent. " Great, then we'll camp here for the rest of today, get a good night's rest and start again tomorrow!" She grinned as the others settled down to relax in the sun for a while and, for the moment at least, forget about their quest.  
As Jo settled back against a large rock she had to admit that the outlook was, at that moment, good. The weather was with them and even with the plant life to contend with, their journey looked as if it would be easier than it had been in a very long time. With this in mind all of the friends sat in silence, enjoying the sunlight that they had missed, just thinking. Some thought about their homes left behind, some thought about their travels so far and others thought about what lay ahead however one thing was common to them all. As they looked out to the horizon there was nothing to cast a shadow over them and that in itself was warmer than anything shining down on them from the sky.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

  
The black castle loomed ahead on the horizon, it's very being exuding evil. Dank mist from the swamps was gradually creeping in as the sun was fading above. Dedra shivered somewhat involuntarily as he drew nearer to his master's home. His journey from the mountains had been a long one. His injury for one thing had slowed him down considerably and he had doubled back and looped around on his course so as to throw off anyone who might be following him. He hadn't thought for a moment that any of the 'Strangers' were following him, their task was much too important to lay aside for the sake of following him. It was more like something was following him, not someone and he strongly suspected that it was guilt. His own guilt was weighing down heavily on him as he walked. Before he had met them, the 'Strangers' were just another group he had been sent to spy upon, just another quest to sabotage. Then that had changed.  
Stumbling onwards along the twisting marsh path he reached up to touch the tiger's eye bead suspended around his neck. The bead _she_ had given to him. Despite the cold, damp air, the bead was warm to the touch and it gave him a little comfort. Comfort that was then dashed away as a stiff wind parted the swirling mists before him and revealed the castle closer than ever and his guilt returned once more. Slowly, and somewhat sadly, he reached up and removed the stone and it's cord and held it tightly in his hand before slipping it into his pocket. It would raise too many awkward questions, compromising questions. As he reached the moat and drawbridge he took a steadying breath and tried to wipe all signs of emotion from his face. He would have to look as disinterested as possible if he were to have any chance of concealing anything from Obsequious. For deep in his heart, Dedra had already decided that somehow he must try and protect the 'Strangers' he had so recently befriended. Why and for how long he could do so was beyond his understanding, but what he did know was that his master's wrath would be a force to be reckoned with if his deception was discovered. With this thought in his mind and the bead held tightly in his pocket, Dedra marched as best he could over the drawbridge and into the darkness of the castle.  
He walked along the drafty corridors and down into the great hall where his master stood waiting. His hands clasped behind his back, looking out through one of the windows over the swamps outside. As Dedra opened the doors, a draft blew the long black curtains hanging on the walls and at the windows, causing them to dance briefly around Obsequious. The effect was not a pleasant one and Dedra was relatively pleased to see him turn away from the window and beckon him into the room.  
" My dear Dedra how was your trip?" Obsequious had the tone of someone asking how someone's dinner had been.  
" I did as you asked, my lord," Dedra answered tightly as he came down the stairs and across the floor. " I befriended the group and was able to observe them closely. I saw that…" He began but stopped as Obsequious held up his hand.  
" What happened to your leg?" He glanced down at Dedra's shin then back up to his face.  
" I cut it, my lord, in an attempt to gain their trust…I pretended I had been wounded and they came to my aid, so to speak,"  
" Cunning," Obsequious' comment was a compliment but Dedra felt it as an accusation.  
" Thank you, it is healing well and served it's purpose," Dedra nodded.  
" Glad to hear it. So…?" Obsequious motioned for Dedra to sit down as he settled himself in his throne. " Tell me then, what were these strangers like…?" Dedra sat down rather awkwardly on one of the stone chairs that lined the great hall, clearing his throat noisily.  
" Well if one thing is certain, my lord, their resolve is strong," Dedra looked his master in the eyes. " I can understand why Petos told us that the Meander's leader was so taken aback by them."  
" And what of this _mysterious_ leader of theirs…this Jo?"  
" She's…well… she's…" Dedra floundered momentarily.  
" I see," Obsequious snorted as Dedra flushed. " So her physical appearance is as Petos told us then I take it…?"  
" She has obvious strength, my lord, not only physically but mentally," Dedra's voice was once again firm as he chose to ignore his master's previous comment.  
" How do you mean?"  
" I had a blade to her throat, twice, and she barely flinched, my lord" Dedra couldn't help but sound slightly disgruntled at having to repeat this fact. " It was as if she wasn't afraid of me…at all,"  
" Interesting," Obsequious mused as he crossed his legs. " Do you think she suspected anything…?"  
" No, my lord," Dedra answered a little too quickly, trying to push her suspicious questions out of his mind and all doubt from his face.  
" You're sure? Even with you putting blades to her throat on apparently regular intervals…?" Obsequious narrowed his eyes slightly. " If the rumours are true about her tutoring then I find it hard to believe that she didn't have some doubts as to who you were."  
" The others doubted me," Dedra pursed his lips remembering Aradia's jibes at him and the looks he had received from Guillaume and Phillipe. " But for some reason she pushed their concerns aside…"  
" And they obeyed her wish?" Obsequious leant forwards in his seat.  
" Without question, my lord," Dedra wet his lips, wishing he could stop his heart pounding as loudly as it was in his ears.  
" Go on," Obsequious sat back in his throne, resting an elbow on one of the arms and his cushioning his chin in the palm of his hand.  
" They had two crystals when I left them and were set to try and retrieve the third from Ishtar when I left." " So they may have three crystals by now…" Obsequious bit his lip reflectively for a moment or two. " As is to be expected really…no matter…let them find the crystals in the North of the country…I'm sure the ones to the South will be a little more _difficult_ to find." Obsequious smirked.  
" I was unable to find out where they would be heading after the mountains, my lord…" Dedra admitted, trying to ignore the feeling that Obsequious must have planned or be planning something for the group when they reached the South. " I'm sure their progress will not be too hard to follow," Obsequious ran a hand through his long black hair.  
" Then you would like me to rejoin them…?" Dedra's voice was almost hopeful, even though he tried to hide as much of his enthusiasm as he could.  
" No, I have another task for you…" Obsequious rose out of his chair and crossed the floor with snakelike grace. " One that requires your particular…_talents_…"  
" Thank you sir," Dedra answered meekly, unsure as to really take his masters cold words as a compliment or not.  
" As you are well aware this band of youths is looking for the famous crystal shards, hidden by the wise ones," Dedra nodded as Obsequious continued. " I have reason to believe that one of these may have been overlooked in their search so far and I wish for you to go and see if it is where I suspect it was hidden," Obsequious' long fingers played with the crystal shard hung around his neck as he quirked an eyebrow at the sandy haired man before him. " Are there any questions about this task that I have set for you?"  
" Only that…May I enquire where I am to go…?" Dedra asked cautiously.  
" Vaniria…I need to know whether there is a crystal there or whether our band of travelers have it with them..." Obsequious answered easily enough.  
" As you wish..." Dedra bowed his head slightly; inwardly downhearted that he would have to wait before seeing the friends he has so recently made.  
" Oh and Dedra…"  
" Yes my lord?"  
" Bring Mithras back with you…" Obsequious smiled noting the flash in Dedra's eyes as his head snapped up, confusion clearly showing, at the mention of the tutor's name. "...I think it's time the three of us caught up with each other again!"  
" Y-y-yes my lord..." Dedra bowed again but this time when his face rose once more there was a completely different expression there. All previous thoughts forgotten as a new focus had formed at the forefront of his mind. As he turned and walked out of the room his face had pure vengeance written all over it.


	31. PART 67

" What _is_ that noise?" Simon frowned,  
" What noise?" Amos ran a hand through his thick blonde hair.  
" That incredibly loud, and therefore slightly worrying, rumbling sound!" Simon shot back with a tone that indicated he strongly suspected that Amos was either profoundly deaf or just stupid. Possibly both.  
" Oh I've been hearing it for a while now,"  
" That doesn't make it any better!" Simon's voice rose an octave as his foot slipped on some of the loose gravel beneath his feet, nearly sending him flying.  
" Oh give it a rest you two!" Marius groaned from ahead of them. " Whatever it is seems to be getting louder, so therefore nearer and so no doubt we'll find out soon enough.  
The friends had left the mountains behind them and travelled for two days, following the rivers path through the yellow coloured landscape until they had reached a cliff. After soon realising that the only way forward was down, they had begun to absail their way down the cliff face, until they had found a relatively well-worn path and decided to follow that instead. According to Phillipe and the map, the 'Thundering Falls' should be nearby and the noise that they had heard constantly for the last day or so only seemed to strengthen that idea. Then they rounded a bend in the path and stopped dead in their tracks for ahead of them was a large pool which led into a river, winding it's way away from the cliff they had climbed down and pouring down into the pool was a waterfall and the waterfall was spectacular to say the least. From its start high above them to it's base where they stood it had to be at least a kilometre tall, if not higher. The air around them was damp with the mist that rose from the pool of water in front of them and they would have been soaked to the skin within a matter of moments were it not for their cloaks. The sun shining down on them created rainbows all around them in the swirling mist and the friends stood in silence for a moment or two, ignoring that the air swirling around them was cold and not to mention the deafening roar that surrounded them as the water crashed down, just standing and marvelling at what they were seeing.  
" Woah," Martin finally managed to mutter after a minute of standing with his mouth hanging open.  
" You can say that again," Guillaume mumbled in answer.  
" Come on…!" Phillipe suddenly shouted over the crashing water. " Lets move further down the river a bit…we need to work out what to do next!"  
They moved further down the riverside and away from the falls, until they could speak to each other without shouting at the tops of their voices.  
" Well, no points for guessing how it got the name 'thundering falls'!" Mark smirked, shrugging off his sodden cloak and trying to wring out some of the water it had absorbed.  
" Talk about impressive," Jenny breathed with wide eyes.  
" That's something of an understatement don't you think?!" Amos nudged her in the side gently.  
" So where's the crystal this time…?" Aradia asked curtly, dropping her pack rather unceremoniously to the floor. Phillipe took out the map and frowned as no star was obvious. So he held it up above his head for a moment or two and then bit his lip as he looked back at them.  
" Oh dear…" Marius grimaced. " That look doesn't bode well now does it…"  
" Am guessing from the whole map above your head thing that the star was in the water somewhere…" Rosie swallowed.  
" Yes…" Phillipe sighed heavily and frowned down at the parchment in his hands. " It looks like the crystal is somewhere directly under the falls." He glanced up. " Someone's going to have to swim under them to find out either way…"  
" So, who's it going to be this time?" Jo asked, knowing that even if she tried an attempt at volunteering herself would be shouted down immediately. There was a pause.  
" Me," A rather shaky voice answered, before the owner coughed and a more confident voice repeated. " Me, I'll do it this time."  
" Jenny?!" Amos' voice was higher than usual.  
" Yeah…me…" Jenny nodded solemnly.  
" You…you sure about this…?" Mark asked gently.  
" I'm not taking no for an answer," Jenny said firmly with seriousness in her blue eyes, hands planted on her hips. " Amos has already done his bit…I'm ready to do mine." She tilted her chin so that she seemed even taller than she already was. Amos shot a rather concerned look over to Jo who merely shrugged her response. If Jenny had made up her mind, it was highly unlikely that anything anyone said would change it.  
" Well said!" Jo grinned with a wink. " You go girl!"  
" Yeah," Rosie grinned. " I mean you _are_ one of the tallest of us so you'll probably be able to walk most of the way!" She giggled as Jenny's face paled ever so slightly.  
" Well, I mean I'll _try_ to get it. I'm not all _that_ sure about the water aspect but I'll never know unless I try will I…?" Jenny dropped her chin and suddenly she didn't sound in the least bit convinced about what she was going to do.  
" Think about it, I managed alright," Lucy folded her arms across her chest.  
" Yes, yes, you did," Jenny agreed, " But let's not forget that yours was in a calm and still lake…not underneath something known as the _thundering falls_!!" Jenny almost squealed back at her.  
" If you don't want to Jenny then…" Amos rubbed her arm consolingly but she span around to face him with a look of pure determination.  
" I'm doing it!" She said firmly before added slightly less certainly. " I'm just voicing a few concerns that's all…Now then, she shrugged off her pack and cloak…" And headed over to Phillipe, " Where exactly am I heading…?"

* * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
The map had shown that behind the waterfall itself was a cave or ledge of some sort and that that was where the crystal was hidden. It had seemed simple enough on paper but as soon as Jenny had jumped into the icy cold waters she realised that she may have gotten in slightly over her head, and she wasn't only thinking of the depth of the water. There was a sharp current trying to drag her down stream and away from the falls but once she had finally managed to get herself swimming in the right direction she spotted her next problem. The waterfall itself was going to be a huge problem. The water that was crashing down in front of her was falling from so high that she could soon feel a suction pulling her towards the base of the falls where she would no doubt be killed just by the force of the water pouring down onto her. Well, it was too late to turn back now, no matter how much her legs and lungs ached so far she had to keep going. As she started to feel the water splashing back on her face from the falls she took a deep breath and dove under the surface and fought against the currents and swam forwards.  
The pressure trying to force her deeper under the water and noise all around her was incredible and it was all Jenny could do to keep swimming in a straight line. It was clear though that the water up ahead was far more sheltered and Jenny kicked even harder with her legs, pushing herself faster through the water. Her arms and legs all felt as if they were made of water themselves the more she swam but still she kept her eyes focused on the still waters in front of her and kept swimming.  
All of a sudden the water grew still and Jenny pushed herself up to the surface, gasping and taking in great lungfuls of air as she did so. Treading water she turned around to see that she was now behind the falls themselves. There was a thick curtain of water between her and the outside world and the light that managed to pass through it flickered on the walls around her, the whole effect being somewhat surreal. The noise was also considerably less on this side of the water Jenny noticed as she began to look around the cliff face behind her. She very quickly spotted a small alcove in the rock face itself and she swam over to investigate. Her teeth were chattering loudly as the coldness of the water began to seep through her skin and into her very bones. She hauled herself out of the water and thrust an arm deep into the alcove praying that there was nothing but a large chunk of crystal inside. " Not that I'd mind if it was a small chunk of course…" She groaned as her groping hand investigated the alcove. Then it hit something. Something cool to the touch and relatively smooth. She hooked her hand around it and began to drag it out. Gritting her teeth, mainly to stop them clattering together, she hauled the thing out and caught it in her lap. It was a piece of crystal alright, about the size of a football and, unlike the jagged thing Lucy had found, it was smooth and almost looked as if it had been cut like a stone in a piece of jewellery. Jenny sat there for a moment or two admiring how the light sparkled and shone inside the crystal before realising just how cold she was. Holding the crystal firmly in one arm she dove back under the water and began the swim back to the others.

  
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

  
" She's been gone too long," Amos paced up and down the shoreline nervously, his blue eyes flitting from the falls to the shore line to the falls again and then glancing at the others.  
" She'll be fine," Lucy reassured him.  
" Yeah, she's a really strong swimmer Amos and besides…" Rosie began but didn't finish as a loud splash in the middle of the river alongside them stopped her.  
Jenny surfaced in the middle of the water, obviously out of breath but holding something tightly against her body.  
" Here…!" She yelled, lifting it up out of the water and chucking as hard as she could at the shoreline. The crystal bounced twice and came to rest by their feet.  
" Well done Jenny…we were beginning to worry…!" Jo started before concern became evident on her face. " Jenny…are you alright…?!" She yelled as Jenny sank below the surface for a moment or two.  
" The current…it's…it's really strong…!" Jenny called back breathlessly, obviously swimming hard against the pull but still being carried downstream a metre or so.  
" We've got to help her…" Amos cried, taking a step towards the shore.  
" Don't be stupid, you dive in there and you'll just be swept away…" Marius stepped in front of him.  
" Quick, get a rope or something…!" Phillipe yelled, dropping his pack and wading out in the water. His height at least providing a kind of anchor, even though he didn't appear to be too steady on his feet at all.  
" Hold on Jenny!" Mark called, wading out to stand in front of Phillipe, linking arms with him and leaning out as far as he could towards Jenny but they were still a good couple of metres away from her. Amos gave a yell of agony as she sank below the surface again only to surface another metre further downstream.  
" Where's that rope?!" Mark demanded.  
" Coming…it's coming…!" Lucy and Rosie answered, clearly frustrated as they were trying to disentangle it from Jenny's pack.  
" Oh this is stupid…" Jo waded out into the water, past Mark and grabbed his hand tightly. " Hold on to me…for god's sake hold on…"  
" Why…what are you going to do…?" Mark asked uneasily as Jo lifted her feet from the riverbed and let the current start to pull her out into the river. " Jesus Jo!" He groaned as the force began to pull him too. " You lot…grab onto Phillipe…QUICKLY!"  
The other friends formed a kind of human chain, each holding onto each other as if it was their life at stake in the raging river. Gradually Jo was carried further out towards where Jenny was, taking the others with her. Just as she was about to make a grab for her though, Jenny vanished beneath the surface and didn't surface.  
" Jenny!" Jo screamed. " Jenny?!"  
" Jenny!" Amos cried from his place on the shore, pure panic ringing in his voice.  
" Oh my God…" Bertrande yelled.  
" Jenny!" Jo yelled before yanking her hand free from Mark's and diving under the surface. Mark snatched wildly to grab it back but she had already gone.  
" Oh great!" He groaned, " Jo! Jenny!"  
" This is all we need now…" Phillipe said grimly from his place floating beside him.  
" Jo!" Guillaume's voice was just as pained as Amos' had been.  
" Here's the rope…" Lucy shouted, throwing it out to them.  
" It's a bit bloody late now don't you think!" Aradia shrieked as the rope sailed past her.  
" No! Don't even think like that!" Glyndwr scolded, watching as Mark caught the rope and held onto it tightly.  
Suddenly, there was a splash from further up stream, it was Jo.  
" Jo!" Guillaume cried out, hope returning to his face.  
" Quick…!" Jo called back to them. " The rope! Throw me the…" A large wave swept over Jo's head blocking her from view again. Mark tied one end of the rope around himself and coiled the rest up. As soon as Jo's head was visible he threw it as hard as he could towards her. Jo seemed to catch it and tied it to herself as Mark had done. " Pull me in!" She instructed.  
" But what about Jenny…?!" Amos demanded.  
" Pull me in!!" Jo repeated. " Now!!!" Another large wave swamped Jo and Mark signalled for the others to start to back track, hauling one another back to the shore. Mark could tell by the strain on the rope around his body that Jo was hauling something with her. He closed his eyes momentarily, trying to block the shocking image that had entered his mind.  
Soon Mark had joined the others on the shore and they all took hold of the rope and dragged Jo closer to the shore. As soon as she was within a metre of the shore, Guillaume and Amos splashed out to help her into shore and the limp form that she had been holding in her arms. Amos scooped up the unconscious Jenny as Guillaume untied the rope from Jo and half guided, half carried her to the shore where the group had gathered around Amos and Jenny, who lay pale and unmoving on the floor.  
" Oh no…" Lina whispered, watching as Amos tried in vain to wake her up. Simon took her in his arms, averting his own eyes from the worrying scene before him.  
" Jenny…Jenny please…it's me…" Amos' voice was soft and there was a distinct tremble that was increasing with every word. The friends stood in silence, Guillaume held Jo tightly in his arms as she shivered incessantly, partly from the cold and partly from fear. " Oh Jenny please wake up…" Amos' voice broke and a tear rolled down his cheek. " Please…please don't do this…don't go…" He managed to whisper hoarsely before breaking down and burying his head in his arms.  
" Don't go where…?" A croaky voice answered after a moment's pause. Amos' head snapped up and where there was once sorrow etched on his face there was now joy as Jenny smiled up at him from the ground. " What are you crying for you daft thing…?" She said softly as she sat up and Amos gathered her tightly in his arms. Looking over his shoulder Jenny's gaze met that of Jo. " Thank you…" She murmured.  
" No problem," Jo answered equally as softly.  
" Well…Four down eh?" Jenny grinned broadly as Amos helped her up and swathed her cloak around her. The others managed to find their voices and cheered her success loudly, their shouts and laughter echoing back off the cliffs in front of them, making her triumph seem ten times as great.  
" Four down!" Jo smiled warmly, hugging her friend tightly. " Four down…"  
  


* * * * * * * * * * * * *

  
" Jo, you don't seriously think you're going to catch anything do you?" Mark grinned watching as Jo stood in the middle of the river, watching the water intently. The group had gathered their belongings and moved downstream where the flow of the river was much calmer and the noise of the falls just a distant hum rather than it's former thundering crashing.  
" Shush!" Jo hissed back angrily. She had been stood there, thigh deep in the cold water for a good twenty minutes and apart from get very wet, she hadn't caught a thing.  
" I really think you should give up," Guillaume said gently. " The only thing you're on your way to catching is a cold," Jo looked back over at him her green eyes flashing slightly.  
" Darling, jokes aren't your strong point!" She smirked before returning her gaze to the fast flowing waters, trying to ignore the fact that she couldn't really feel her feet anymore.  
" And fishing isn't yours," He shot back just as Jo tried to stifle a particularly large yawn. " Come and sit down and get some rest…" Guillaume added more softly.  
" I'm fine," Jo answered but with much less conviction in her voice as another yawn stopped her speech.  
" Did you sleep alright last night…?" Lucy asked gently.  
" It's these flamin' dreams," Jo hissed, finally giving up on her fishing and splashing back to shore.  
" They _still_ bothering you?" Jenny asked through clenched teeth as she struggled to untangle the sodden mess that was once long, flowing blonde hair.  
" Oh yeah," Jo sank down onto the bank amongst them all and sighed, massaging her feet and ankles, trying to get the blood flowing back through them.  
" Well, what are they like? I mean, are they nightmares or something?" Amos plucked the comb from Jenny and began to try and work it through her hair.  
" Not nightmares exactly, more like…" Jo frowned, wringing out some of the water from her trousers as she struggled to explain. " More like watching a film or something…" it was true, the cold and frightening dreams that had plagued her before they had crossed the mountains hadn't visited her once but still her sleep was filled with images that both intrigued and concerned her.  
" Well what's wrong with that?" Rosie frowned.  
" What's wrong with it is I have no idea what it's about!" Jo's voice was exasperated. " I mean it's like I started watching a movie half way through and I have no idea what's going on…at all! And what's really odd it's always the same bloody scene I seem to be watching! Like a recurring memory or something. Having said that though, the last few have been totally different…but the same, up to a point…" Jo groaned knowing that she was probably confusing them as much as she was herself.  
" As in…?" Phillipe filled his hands with water from the river and splashed it over his face.  
" Different things seem to be happening but it's usually the same people I see…" Jo leant back on her palms, her face deep in thought. " Two girls and two boys…"  
" Oh yeah…?" Simon grinned eagerly, rubbing his hands together before Lina silenced him rather effectively with a swift kick on his shin.  
" I doubt somehow that it was _that_ kind of dream!" Lina hissed at him while he massaged his lower leg with a grimace and tear bright eyes.  
" The two girls are about the same age, I think they are anyway. One's dark and the other's a red head…the red head seems older, a year or so maybe. The boys are older again, with one dark and one blonde haired. The blonde boy seems older again by a few years…possibly older…but he's gone somewhere I think…he hasn't been around much lately…" A frown crossed Jo's face. " They usually seem to be playing or reading, studying at least but lately, I don't know, things just seem different…and what's really weird is I don't know their names, I've never ever heard them speaking and yet…and yet somehow I feel as if I know them…" Jo allowed herself to look around at the rather dumbstruck faces around her, she forced a rather weak smile. Which, if she was honest, was for her benefit more than theirs. " But that's crazy, right?"  
" Sounds more than crazy to me," Aradia scoffed loudly. " How can you think you know someone from a dream…?!"  
" Haven't you ever dreamt about people you know…?" Glyndwr asked pointedly. Aradia glowered at him briefly.  
" Of course I have, " She snapped at him. " That's my point! Of course you dream about people you _know_…but not about people you _feel_ you know…that's just nuts…"  
" Anyway, where are they…? Any ideas…?" Rosie mused as she tightened the laces in her boot.  
" None, not for certain," Jo sighed again. " Well, they're definitely in a city of some kind…buildings and gardens…" Her voice trailed off suddenly, her brow full of thought.  
" Jo…?" Mark paused as he cleaned his sword to glance over at her.  
" Huh?" Jo snapped back to reality. " Sorry…it's just the one I had last night was in a garden…and it was _so_ vivid…"  
" You want to tell us about it….?" Simon enquired, this time more softly.  
Jo leant back again, turning her face to the sky, obviously trying to gather her thoughts and organise them so they would make some kind of sense. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath,  
" Well, it was the older boy and the youngest girl and they were in a garden. It was beautiful…going by the flowers I think it must have been early Summer…maybe even late Summer…it's sunset and the light falling around them is soft…" Jo's voice carried softly on the breeze as she began to tell them of her dream. Even the thundering of the water seemed to fade in to listen more carefully.  
" Go on…" Guillaume urged gently, shuffling to sit closer to her as he often did while she slept, ready to reach out and hold her, should she need him.  
" They're both so young, and yet so sad. I think…I think they're in love…or at least he loves her. You can see it in his eyes but something is stopping him though, something is holding him back. I can see so clearly on his face that he wants to tell her so much and yet…yet he doesn't. He just sits there with her, amongst the flowers, holding her as she cries."  
" She's crying…? Why is she crying…?" Bertrande murmured as they listened intently to every word.  
" I think she's lost something…" Jo murmured. " Something very important…someone perhaps…"  
" Maybe it's the person that _she_ loves…" Phillipe suggested.  
" Maybe…" Jo agreed, opening her eyes and looking at them all. They smiled back as she sighed once again and wiped hurriedly at her eyes, suddenly aware that there were tears standing in them. " Weird huh?"  
" You reckon!" Rosie smiled before adding. " But then again, this is _you_ we're talking about Jo!" She winked as Jo grabbed a handful of grass and threw it at her, poking out her tongue.  
" Well, at least they're not keeping me awake…" Jo stretched her arms over her head for a moment. " Well, not really."  
" Or waking us up more to the point!" Guillaume smirked just as Jo launched grass at his head.  
" Ah shut up," Jo laughed, kissing him quickly before screaming as he shoved a particularly large handful of grass down the back of her tunic. " Oh you git!" Her eyes sparkled wickedly as he leapt up and moved to what he considered to be a _safe_ distance from her. " Oh you really think moving away will help you…" Jo smirked and before Guillaume could retort, cold water poured down on his head, apparently from thin air. Jo doubled over laughing as Guillaume shook his now sopping wet hair from his face, splattering some of the others as he did.  
" No fair, magic's cheating…" He pouted momentarily.  
" Oh really…and what are you going to do about it…" Jo challenged confidently before shrieking as Guillaume, Glyndwr and Martin (all of whom had been splashed by Jo's water trick) charged at her, picked her up and threw her into the river. She surfaced spluttering but laughing, before her face became slightly more serious and once again water poured down from the air onto the three of them. This time nearly everyone got wet. This signalled the start of an all out water and grass fight. The friends laughed and chased each other for nearly half an hour before collapsing back on the grass to dry off. Even Aradia joined in.  
" So where now…?" Phillipe asked after a while as he retied his long ponytail carefully before standing up and brushing the now dried grass from his trousers. " On towards the plains or what…?"  
" Well, we're not all _that_ far from Crystallia…" Lina said quietly, her vivid eyes shining like a child's at Christmas. " And I know for a fact that we'll be able to get more supplies and things from there…" The others exchanged excited looks.  
" Sounds good to me…" Bertrande admitted, flipping her corn-coloured hair back over her shoulder.  
" How far is 'not all _that_ far'?" Jo asked cautiously, her eyes flitting from Lina's face to her injured shoulder and wing.  
" About a day or two's walk at most…" Lina smiled warmly. " And don't worry, just knowing that I'll be heading home will make my injury seem less painful I assure you…"  
" Well then…" Jo glanced around at the others. " If there are no other objections then I say we head to Crystallia…" She grinned. " Besides, I've wanted to see where it is you call home for a long time…" Jo winked at Lina, remembering their conversation on the ramparts of Vaniria's castle before their quest had started.  
" I can't wait to show it to you…all of you…" Lina beamed, giving an especially wide smile to Simon. The friends began to gather their belongings together, Jenny carefully placing their fourth piece of crystal into her pack.  
" Have we got everything…?" Jo asked Guillaume as he wandered over to where she was packing her bag carefully. " Don't want to go leaving anything behind us…" She looked up at his face and quirked an eyebrow as she saw the smile that was looking down at her. She straightened up and demanded gently. " What…? What's with the grin?"  
" Nothing…" Guillaume said unconvincingly as his dark eyes sparkled. " It's just that all your freckles have come out…" Guillaume ran his finger down her nose gently where her freckles seemed to have tripled in number as a healthy tan had taken over the rest of her face. In fact, they had all caught the sun since leaving the mountains. But Jo seemed to have got it more than anyone else. She wrinkled her nose slightly and rolled her eyes.  
" I hate them…I mean I love the sun don't get me wrong and I guess freckles can be ok at times but mine…" Jo sighed dramatically. " They just annoy me!"  
" Well, I wouldn't worry about it too much Jo, looks like someone else has got them too…" Marius grinned, gesturing to Aradia, whose complexion upon leaving Vaniria had been milk white, her face was now slightly more tanned and she too had a dusting of freckles over her nose. More delicate and less obvious than Jo's but there were there nonetheless.  
" What?!" Aradia all but shrieked, dashing over to the waters edge and looking at her reflection that looked worriedly back up at her. " Oh no…" She groaned leaning back and frowning at them all.  
" They're not _that_ bad surely…" Glyndwr smirked, his green eyes sparkling mischievously as the princess' lilac eyes glowered back at his. " I think they look quite nice as a matter of fact…"  
" Who cares what you think of them and as for 'Not _that_ bad'…" She echoed coldly. " They're so…so…undignified…so common…what on earth am I going to do…" She protested but was cut off by a loud laugh from Jo.  
" Oh get over it Aradia! They're just freckles, it's not as if they've appeared to annoy you! I know I'm not a fan of mine but I certainly wouldn't cut my nose off…to spite my face, so to speak!" She grinned as Aradia swelled visibly in annoyance. " Never fear your highness," Jo stood up and pulled her pack onto her back. " At the rate we're going we'll soon have you back in a palace where you belong and you and your delicate little nose will never have to stay out in the sunlight again for longer than it takes to have a royal tea party or a game of croquet!" Jo's voice rang with sarcasm and the others giggled their approval. Aradia stood and fumed for a moment or two before turning her back sharply to them all and finished packing her bag.  
  


* * * * * * * * * * * * *

  
The land was flat and the weather with them as the friends walked to Crystallia, Lina's homeland in the far North-East. Lina's speed had increased and even though the pain in her shoulder was in no way lessened, her face was much more determined and far more cheerful. In fact, all of them had relaxed considerably. Knowing where they were going next was a relatively safe place, without challenges and dangers meant that they were that much more eager to get there. Lina's estimate had been almost exact, they walked for a day and a half before reaching the border of Crystallia. The sky above them was cloudy but it did nothing to dampen the pure sunshine radiating from Lina's smile.  
Crystallia looked vaguely like photos Jo and the other friends had seen of the Grand Canyon, large crevices and towers cliffs of rock were scattered everywhere, with the land in between being fairly flat and wide ranging. The friends followed Lina amongst large rocks that seemed to be sprouting of the ground all around them. Suddenly the reason for Crystallia's name became obvious as the clouds above them parted and the first rays of sunlight hit the ridge before them. The rocks they thought they had seen hadn't been rocks at all but huge shards of Crystal coming up out of the ground. Some short and stumpy, others reaching, spire like into the sky. And as the sunlight hit them the hold area was lit up with every colour imaginable as crystal after crystal refracted the light over and over again. Bathing the surrounding scenery and the friends, in rainbow coloured light. Lina sighed contentedly as she started to lead them down a pathway through the light show.  
" Welcome," She smiled. " Welcome to my home!"  
As the friends followed Lina through the rocks and foliage they became aware of more and more people milling around. All with wings and all with bright smiles appearing as they spotted Lina, who looked like a child in a toy shop her self. The friends soon saw that they had entered what looked like a settlement, where the people had used the large crystal spires that erupted from the ground as supports for homes.  
" Oh, there are _so_ many people you have to meet…_so_ many things to show you…" She enthused, seizing Simon's hand as they walked along.  
Suddenly they stopped as Lina had obviously spotted one of said 'many things'. Her face lit up with one of the biggest smiles any of them had ever seen. Following her gaze they spotted a young man, knelt down who appeared to be collecting fragments of crystal from the ground.  
" Hey, Adam," Lina called out, pulling slightly on Simon's hand, urging him and the others to follow her. The young man's head seemed to lift slightly before he turned slowly on his feet to see who had called him and the friends got their first proper look at him.  
A shock of jet-black hair, about two inches in length, which seemed to grow out at many different angles, grew above a pair of pale blue eyes. These were wide and edged with long dark lashes. His eyes had an innocent look to them, a child's eyes. His skin was tanned darkly and evenly all over his body, at least on the parts they could see. Unlike the others he was unclothed from the waist up and they could also see he was well muscled and looked very strong. His wings were dark brown, edged in white but, like his hair, feathers seemed to grow out at strange angles around the edges. As they got nearer he looked up at them properly and as his eyes fell upon Lina a big smile spread across his lips. He practically leapt into the air and ran over, scooping her up and swinging her around and around.  
" Lina! Lina home!" He shouted gleefully. Lina screamed with excitement as they span for a few moments.  
" Yes, yes I'm home…" She said warmly as they stopped and they hugged each other tightly. " Now come on, put me down Adam…there are some friends I want you to meet…" She took his hand and led him over to where the friends were stood.  
" Everybody, this is Adam," Lina said happily before gesturing to them all. " And Adam, these are my friends…" Adam's pale eyes danced over them for a moment before he stepped back slightly. Just a like a shy child, trying to hide behind their mother, Adam tried to hide behind Lina but being at least a foot taller as well as considerably broader than she was, the result was fairly comical. " Come on Adam," Lina urged gently, stepping to the side so he was revealed to the friends once more. " They're nice people…" The friends smiled as warmly as they could as Adam's eyes surveyed them cautiously. They said their hello's as gently and in as friendly a way as they could.  
" Hi Adam," Jo, stood at the end of the group, smiled as her eyes met his. " Nice to meet you…" Adam's eyes narrowed briefly as he looked her up and down, taking in the sword she wore at her waist but then becoming wide and welcoming as they met her eyes again. " I'm Jo…" She said softly.  
" Jo…" He repeated with wonder on his face before stepping forwards and hugging her to him. His embrace was warm and friendly but very tight. Jo gasped for breath a little as he released her and she grinned at the others.  
" If he does that when he likes you…hate to see what he does when he doesn't!"  
" Adam's one of my dearest friends…" Lina began to explain with a look of almost motherly love in her eyes as she looked at Adam who had gone back to collecting his pieces of crystal.  
" He seems lovely," Jo smiled back.  
" Anyway…I must show you the…" Lina started but stopped almost as soon as she had begun.  
" Lina?! Lina…is that you…?" A voice called through the crowd and people parted to reveal another young man. His hair was short, cropped closely to his head and was bright red in colour, not auburn like Aradia's but red like the sky at sunset and his eyes were like coal. Pure black and they glittered even from a distance. The friends noticed the elated look on Lina's face fade ever so slightly as she saw him and he started to walk over. He reached them and walked straight up to Lina, ignoring the friends and hugged her. As his back was turned the friends saw that his wings were almost exactly like Lina's only where hers were blue, his were red. Unlike the embrace she had shared with Adam, this seemed mechanical and almost forced, and judging from the expression on Lina's face as he stepped back from her it was obvious that she could have done without it.  
" It's good to see you home Lina," Tom said curtly, little emotion in his voice.  
" It's good to be seen," Lina forced a quick smile before gesturing at the friends. " Tom, I want to introduce you to my friends, these are the 'Strangers'." Tom turned around and his black eyes swept over the friends, complete disdain on his face.  
" Charmed," Tom eventually managed to say.  
" Yeah, I'll bet," Simon muttered under his breath.  
" Pleased to meet you Tom, I'm Jo and this is…" Jo held out her hand for Tom to shake but he stepped past her and cut her off.  
" Lina, we had expected you home long before now…"  
" Tom, now is not the time or the place for this…and besides, I explained everything to you and the elders before I left," Lina's voice was becoming increasingly annoyed. The friends exchanged confused glances, they all had the distinct feeling that they were eavesdropping on a private conversation.  
" But Lina," Tom began.  
" Tom, not now…" Lina sighed, almost sadly.  
" Sorry to interrupt, but if you too want some time to catch up…" Jo said quietly.  
" Yeah, good thinking Jo," Simon beamed at her. " Lina, any chance we can go somewhere and dump all our gear," Simon grinned at her, trying to forget that Tom was even there.  
" How dare you interrupt and speak to her majesty with such familiarity…" Tom's voice was loud and aggressive, Simon's clear blue eyes shimmered in anger which soon faded to confusion.  
" _Majesty_…?" Jenny mumbled. Simon merely opened and closed his mouth a few times trying to find something to say. Lina sighed heavily and ran a hand through her hair.  
" Thanks for that, Tom," she said acidly before turning to Simon and trying to look as encouraging as she could. " Maybe I should have mentioned this before…" Her eyes flicked to Jo and the others, who were all stood open mouthed in shock. " Not that it really matters…or changes anything but…" She shot another nervous glace in Simon's direction before saying quietly and very quickly. " Maybe I should have mentioned that I'm the heir of Crystallia."   
" Which obviously means…?" Rosie said slowly in the tone of someone who thinks they may know the answer and they don't like it.  
" It means that I'm…I'm…" Lina sighed heavily once again, her blue eyes looking at them all, almost sadly. " I'm a princess."  
There was a brief silence as the friends digested this new piece of information.  
" …Ok…" Jo managed to say after a moment or two.  
" Right…" Phillipe smiled weakly.  
" There's something else…" Tom began before Lina elbowed him swiftly in the ribs.  
" Don't make me hurt you Tom!" She hissed.  
" Lina what ever it is…I think we'd all rather you just told us…" Jenny urged the young warrior gently. "But only if you want to…"  
" It can't be _that_ bad surely," Lucy smiled as reassuringly as she could.  
" Yeah, it's not like you're going to tell us you're Obsequious' twin sister or anything is it?!"  
" No, no it's nothing like that," Lina finally smiled.  
" Well, what is it then?" Simon smiled back, trying to resist the urge to pull his dagger out of its sheath and lob it as hard as he could at Tom's smirking face.  
" Well you see…" Lina turned to face Simon with a look in her eyes that made his heart sink before she had even spoken. " It's…it's like this…Tom…Tom is…"  
" What she's trying to say is, we're engaged," Tom explained with a slight smile on his lips. " Lina and I are going to be married."


	32. PART 68

" Married?!" Came the unanimous response form the friends, all but Simon who, it seemed, couldn't find the words or the voice to speak.  
" To _that_…I mean to _him_?!" Jo exclaimed.  
" This _is_ a joke…right…?" Rosie said as jovially as she could manage. Which, it turned out, was about as cheerful as having a tooth pulled out.  
" We are going to be married," Tom repeated, a distinct twinkle appearing in his already glittering eyes that made all of the friends suddenly want to hit him. Hard.  
" No we're not!" Lina scoffed at Tom.  
" Oh yes we are," Tom corrected her firmly.  
" Oh no we're _not_!" Lina all but shouted at Tom before turning and almost pleading with Simon, who now looked about two seconds away from bursting into tears. " Simon, it's not true…we were set to marry, but that was years ago…when we were children…arranged by our parents…"  
" An _arrangement_ that is still in place…" Tom said darkly as Lina continued unabashed.  
" Simon, you know I would have told about this if it were true…" Lina was now almost begging. " I would have told _all_ of you…"  
" Lina I don't…" Simon began somewhat shakily.  
" Please refrain from speaking to my fiancé with such familiarity," Tom practically spat, taking a step closer to Simon.  
" I think we should maybe…" Lucy began but before anyone could suggest anything further or do anything about it, there was a loud _slap_ and the next thing anyone knew, Tom was lying on the ground. Immediately the friends dashed forwards expecting to have to restrain Simon, but he was still stood, pale faced and wide eyed, his hands hanging limply by his sides. It was Lina who was breathing heavily and whose balled up fists evidenced that it had been her blow that had floored Tom.  
" What was that…?!" Tom sounded genuinely dumb-founded by what had happened, apparently oblivious to the blood starting to trickle from the corner of his mouth.  
" I think you have said _quite_ enough," Lina's voice was all at once stern and her brilliant blue eyes suddenly looked incredibly cold. " Leave us." This was obviously not a request.  
" But Lina, I…" Tom hauled himself to his feet, his former aggression and pride seemingly forgotten.  
" GO!" Lina bellowed, pointing with her arm behind him. Casting a distinctly sour look at Simon, Tom turned on his heel and sloped away leaving a distinctly stunned group behind him. " Simon…?" Lina eventually said, her voice now much gentler and distinctly more nervous than the friends had heard it in a long while. " Simon, are you alright…?" Simon looked over at her, his own blue eyes showing a myriad of emotions and the rest of the friends once again felt like they were intruding on something they shouldn't.  
" Do you want us to go…?" Bertrande asked quietly.  
" No…" Simon suddenly answered. The friends exchanged worried looks.  
" No, you're not alright…or no, you don't want us to go…?" Marius asked even more quietly than Jo had done.  
" Both," Simon answered candidly. " I'm not alright…" He sighed heavily. " But I'm sure I will be soon…and no, I don't want you lot to go…" He smiled and relief flooded the friends before him as a familiar sparkle returned to his eyes.  
" I'm sorry about that," Lina moved over to him, her face and tone apologetic. " Tom's always been one for…acting first, thinking second…" She groaned.  
" Sounds familiar," Guillaume smirked, nudging a guilty looking Jo in the ribs.  
" I had hoped I would have chance to explain before anyone else could tell you all…" Lina kicked the ground angrily. " Guess I messed that one up didn't I?!"  
" You haven't messed up anything…" Phillipe said reassuringly, " You had your reasons…and I think we can all understand the need to sometimes keep things to ourselves…"  
" And I sincerely doubt that the way Tom behaves is your fault…" Martin added with a somewhat sardonic grin. " But can I just ask, has he _always_ been that much of a prick?!"  
" Martin!" Lucy scolded, shock on her face. Lina finally grinned back,  
" Yes…he has, and it's got worse as he's gotten older!" She sighed. " Thanks for understanding…"  
" No problem!" Amos smiled back warmly.  
" Come on, I'll show you my house…and see if we can't find something to eat…" Lina turned and began to lead them on again, through the crystals, although this time her hand was firmly held in Simon's.  
Lina's home was a fairly simple construction but unlike the other dwellings they had seen, hers was chiselled out of a particularly large crystal shard. It consisted of one large circular room, with obvious sections for sleeping, eating and so on. Soon the friends were sat around on the floor, drinking some fresh spring water and eating some local fruit.  
" What did he mean anyway…'_familiarity_'…?!" Rosie frowned darkly for a moment as she thought back to Tom. " What else are we supposed to call you other than Lina?!"  
" Or your majesty of course…" Jo added quietly.  
" Well, you see, it's a nickname really…" Lina sighed heavily. " You see my full name is…" She closed her eyes, obviously not wanting to see their expressions. " It's Thumbelina…"  
A rather confused silence followed.  
" Thumbelina…" Mark repeated slowly. " Right…"  
" And then Ella…my cousin…" Lina reopened her eyes and rolled them. " That's a nickname too…"  
" And that would obviously be short for…?" Lucy asked hesitantly.  
" Cinderella…"   
" Thumbelina? Cinderella…?!" Disbelief rang in Jenny's voice. " You can't be serious…"  
" Try me," Lina glanced over at her with that same serious expression she had shown when sending Tom away.  
" So will we get to meet this Ella then…?" Aradia asked, sipping her water delicately.  
" I hope so," Lina smiled back at her. " She's more than just a cousin, we were best friends growing up…practically sisters…"  
Just then there was a knocking on the outside of the home.  
" Hello…? Anyone in?"  
" Yeah, come on in!" Lina shouted, getting to her feet to welcome whoever it was.  
Into the doorway stepped an almost carbon copy of Lina, except this girls hair was much much, much longer, reaching halfway down her back and her eyes were a caramel brown in colour. Her wings were identical to Lina's though, shining white with the same blue patterns. " Ella!" Lina exclaimed joyfully before leaping over the friends to hug the newcomer.  
Lina introduced the girl to the friends as well as the seven other people who had come with her. All of whom had similar facial features to Lina and Ella and with identical wings, but all of them had different colour eyes and their blonde hair was also in different styles. Their names were also similar in that the friends soon recognised them all from fairy tales they had heard as children.  
" So…can I ask about your wings…?" Guillaume asked, once they were all settled again. " How come all your wings are the same…?"  
" We're all related…" Lina explained carefully. " We're all cousins and so we have the same wing pattern."  
" What about Tom…?" Guillaume continued. " His wings were red I know but the pattern was practically the same as yours…"  
" Ah…" Lina sighed.  
" Well, we're not related if that's what you're wondering," Ella smirked with what was clearly relief in her eyes.  
" I guess you could say it's like a form of ranking…" One of Lina's male cousins explained, a tall boy with dark blue eyes like the sky at midnight whose name was Gulliver.  
" Ranking?" Glyndwr frowned slightly. " You mean like different classes…?"  
" Something like that…" Lina admitted. " You see those with white wings are born into, what I suppose you would call upper class families…"  
" Aristocracy…" Aradia muttered.  
" You'd know!" Glyndwr hissed wickedly before Aradia threw a stone at his head.  
" What about Adam…?" Jo mused. " He had white feathers…  
" Adam is slightly different…" Lina began. " You see he's what we call an Amalga, a combination of upper and, I suppose, lower classes…"  
" So the two classes can mix then?" Rosie rubbed at one of her eyes.  
" They do," Gulliver answered, sounding less than pleased about it.  
" Well what's wrong with that…?" Amos pushed some of his sandy hair back from his now frowning face.  
" Well…" Gulliver began before being cut off.  
" Nothing!" Lina said firmly, clearly showing that the discussion was over. A lightly awkward silence followed before Ella suddenly leapt to her feet.  
" We can't sit around here all day anyway…" She exclaimed, her brown eyes open wide. " We came to come and get you… the elders want to see you, Lina…"  
" If this is about me hitting Tom…" Lina got to her feet begrudgingly.  
" You hit Tom again?!" Ella exclaimed, sounding shocked.  
" _Again_?!" Jo exclaimed, sounding impressed.  
" Guess it's not about that then…" Jenny hissed to Lucy.  
" Then what _is_ it about…?" Lina asked.  
" You'll see…" Ella answered with a wink as they all began to pour out of Lina's home. " You'll see!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The elders were just that, six very aged female Crystallians, all of whom the friends noticed had sparkling white wings, even if their coloured patterns seemed to have faded with time.  
" Welcome," An elder with faded black patterned wings announced to the slightly nervous group stood before them.  
" Thank you," The friends replied, all rather quietly and with bowed heads.  
" You are on the long foretold quest to reassemble the Crystal of the Wise Ones…" Another elder continued, this elder's wings were covered in pale yellow markings that would no doubt have been brighter in her youth.  
" Yes, yes we are," Jo answered, a little more loudly than before.  
" This is a quest that will be hard…on you all…" An elder with pink tinged wings carried on. " And our young Princess shall accompany you…" The friends noticed that Lina coloured slightly at the mention of her title.  
" I shall," Lina affirmed.  
" Your cause is noble, just and shall bring about the return of peace…something our countries have long-since forgotten…" The yellow-winged elder's voice was soft and carried around the friends like a soft summer breeze.  
" And we wish to help you all that we can…" The black-winged one added.  
" And so we wish to present you with these…" The pink-winged elder produced two leather bound packages. " Step forward, your highness…" She held them out. At the mention of 'highness' Aradia had automatically taken a step forwards but was held back by a grinning Glyndwr as Lina stepped past her and took the packages.  
Lina carefully unwrapped them and her jaw dropped open as she held in her hand, two more pieces of the crystal they were seeking.  
" You mean, they were here…all the time…and you never told me?!" Lina's voice was bordering on being an exclamation but she was somehow managing to control herself.  
" They, and you, were safer when they were a secret," A purple-winged elder explained. " Knowing that it would be your destiny to go to Vaniria, we thought it best to keep the knowledge from you until the need arose…"  
" A secret like this one is hard to bear…and one that we thought you could easily do without…" The pink-winged elder smiled benevolently.  
" Fair enough, I suppose" Lina managed to admit after a moment or two of deep breathing.  
" Take them and may the rest of your journey pass as peacefully as your time here with us…" The final elder, with green patterned wings, said serenely. Jo bowed her head slightly and whispered to Rosie with a grin.  
" Nice thought…not likely, but still, a nice thought!"

  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  


" Two more crystals and we didn't even have to fight for them!" Martin grinned.  
" Not bad, not bad at all…" Phillipe agreed heartily.  
" Six already…not bad for a bunch of students and a load of supposedly fictional characters!" Mark laughed.  
" So, now that we have the crystals, does this mean we're going to have to move again soon…" Lina asked Jo quietly.  
" I don't see why we should…" Came the smiling reply. " I mean, we have to rest, properly, for a few days…it's going to be a long walk down to the plains for the next ones and I for one would like to stay and explore your home for a bit…" One of Jo's eyebrows rose on her forehead and her eyes sparkled mischievously. " Of course I can only speak for me…if everyone else wants to get going then…" But Jo didn't get to finish. The others gave a definite answer in the form of many shouts of,  
" I'm in no rush!"  
" Nope, not me…"  
" Rest sounds good."  
" Rest sounds very good!"  
" There you go then…" Jo smirked, sounding not in the least bit surprised. " Looks like we're staying!"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Simon and Lina wandered along through the crystals, not speaking, just holding each others hands and smiling whenever their eyes met.  
  
" Well, I think that Crystallia is beautiful…and that it has a beautiful Princess too…" Simon smiled, pulling Lina closer and laying a hand on her cheek.  
" You don't mind then? That I'm a Princess I mean…" Lina looked up into his face hopefully.  
" No, I don't mind about that…it's a surprise of course…but a pleasant one…" Simon snorted. " Unlike that friend of yours…Tom Thumb or whatever his name is!" The pair of the giggled for a moment before another silence took over. But this silence wasn't awkward or worrying, it was the kind of silence where they eyes did the talking for them.  
" I think…I think I'm in love with you…" Lina muttered as she moved even closer to him, running her fingers through his blonde hair.  
" I know you are…" Simon smiled back softly, allowing his own fingers to trace along her jaw and down her neck.  
" How do you know…?" Lina sighed, her hands falling to hold onto his shoulders.  
" Because…" He leant forwards and kissed her gently. After a moment or two, Simon pulled away slightly and their bright blue eyes gazed deeply into each other's. Like the sky and the sea meeting on the horizon where the beginning and ending of each is not entirely discernible. " I know because…I'm in love with you too…" Simon finally managed to say, his voice trembling and his legs almost refusing to keep him standing. " And…"  
" And what…?"  
" There's something I've been meaning…something I've been wanting to ask you for some time now…" Simon's voice was no more firm than it had been before but it was suddenly more serious. " And well, all that business with Tom…it's made me think a lot more about it and well…"  
" Yes…?" Lina quirked an eyebrow in curiosity at him. " What is it?"  
" Ok…" Simon took a deep breath. "Lina…" He grinned before starting again. " Lina would…no, hang on…" He frowned. " Lina…may I ask you…" He stopped mid-sentence again, obviously the right words managing to evade him, her face was becoming more and more bemused as he went on. " Lina, will you ma…" He began unsteadily before swallowing noisily and allowing a nervous smile to break onto his face as Lina's eyes lit up and a simply enormous grin covered her mouth. " Lina, will you marry…?"  
" Yes!" Lina cried out loud, throwing her arms tightly around him. " Yes I will!"  
" Really?!" Simon exclaimed, pulling back slightly, sounding like a child.  
" Yes really…" Lina said softly before putting her arms back around his neck and pulling him closer for another kiss.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Glyndwr walked purposefully through the crystal shards, his hands holding something firmly but carefully in them. Eventually he seemed to find what he had been searching for and wandered over to an outcrop of crystals where a girl was sat, her auburn hair seeming on fire in the late afternoon sunlight, looking out over the stunning view before her.  
" Here you go Princess," Glyndwr chuckled as he dropped what he had been carrying onto her head and kneeling down beside her. " A crown for you…seeing as how I know you miss you other one!" She reached up quickly, and frowned as she felt a garland of flowers on her head.  
" Oh grow up will you!" Aradia snapped, beginning to pull the flowers out of her hair angrily.  
" I will if you will," Glyndwr shot back, not missing a beat, with a mischievous grin on his face and his piercing green eyes fixed on hers of lilac.  
" No chance of that then!" Aradia sniped back before realising, helped greatly by the fact that Glyndwr's grin had doubled in size, that she had managed to make herself seem even more stupid. Not what she had intended. " I mean…" She started to amend.  
" Don't worry Princess…" Glyndwr smirked, rising up and standing next to her, plucking the last of the flowers from her hair delicately. " I'll remember to make the crown a little stronger next time…so it'll survive at least one of your little royal tantrums…" He quickly placed the flower behind her ear before turning and walking away again and just as suddenly as he had arrived he was gone. Aradia folded her arms sullenly and glared after him for a moment or two before sinking back down onto the crystal she had been sat on. She reached up and pulled the flower out from behind her ear and looked at it. It was a rose, delicate lilac in colour and it smelled divine. For a petulant moment she raised it up as if she was going to throw it to the ground but instead, after looking around herself a few times, she just inhaled it's sweet perfume a few times before putting it back behind her ear and looking back out over the horizon with the smallest of smiles on her lips.


	33. PART 69

Two winged children were playing amongst the crystal rocks as the sun began to set. Two little girls, giggling and shrieking as they chased each other round and round, in and out of the tall rocks. Jo was sat on one of the larger boulders watching them with a small smile on her lips. The two girls looked like twins, both with long blonde hair and identical white and blue patterned wings, probably more cousins of Lina's. The sound of their laughter echoed around her and Jo felt a pang of sadness.  
" What you thinking about now…up here on your own…?" Came a voice behind her. Jo glanced over her shoulder at the sound of the familiar voice.  
" Nothing much…" She sighed.  
" With you…it's never nothing much!" Guillaume grinned as he settled down behind her and put an arm around her waist pulling her back to lean against him. The two girls were still running and calling happily to each other.  
" How old do you think they are…?" Jo muttered, pointing down at them.  
" Er…I dunno…" Guillaume was more than a little thrown by this question; he glanced down at the girls. " Not sure…seven…eight maybe…why?" He frowned slightly.  
" I was watching them playing and I bet they probably don't know anything about the invasion of Aesina…"  
" Probably not no…but…"  
" Or the possible invasion of Vaniria…"  
" Unlikely Jo, they're children…but I don't…"  
" Or the possibility Crystallia may be invaded…" Jo's voice was suddenly serious.  
" Well they wouldn't would they? They're children…"  
" Sometimes children see things they should _never_ see…" Jo murmured, allowing her eyes to drift back out over the crystal rocks and to the two girls still playing.  
" Jo, what's gotten into you?" Guillaume gently took hold of her chin making her look back at him. Her eyes looked into his but somehow it was as if she was looking somewhere else. " It's these dreams isn't it…" His was a concerned statement, not a question. Jo lowered her gaze from his eyes for a moment and sighed.  
" They seem so real," Jo looked up once again. " Sometimes…it's as if they _are_ real, as if they're really happening…that's what scares me so…"  
" They're just dreams," Guillaume said softly, leaning forwards and kissing the tip of her nose. " They can't hurt you…" He pulled her into a gentle embrace.  
" But what if they're _more_ than dreams…" Jo said quietly as she leant her head against his shoulder.  
" What else _could_ they be…?" Guillaume frowned as he stroked her hair.  
" I don't know…" Jo frowned slightly. " But they just seem too…I dunno…_authentic_ to just be dreams…" She pushed herself up and looked Guillaume in the face once more, smiling faintly. " I know it probably sounds mad but I honestly do think that there is something very strange going on here…" Jo was relieved to see Guillaume smile back.  
" Strange doesn't come close to describing some, no _most_ of the things I've seen since I met you…" He smirked. " But I wouldn't change any of them for the world," He brushed her cheek with his hand. " And whatever it is that you feel is haunting you…you, know I am here to protect you from it…"  
" I know you are," Jo smiled warmly, leaning forwards and kissing him.  
" Come on you…" Guillaume stood up and pulled Jo to her feet and began to lead her down off the rock. " It's getting dark and you need to get your sleep,"  
" Yes sir," Jo mocked as she let him lead her to where they had left their packs, having elected earlier to sleep outdoors and under the stars. They quickly set up their beds and collapsed into them as the sky above them subtly passed through an entire spectrum of colours, from gradually darkening blue to the fiery red of the sunset, to rich purple and then to the deep navy blue of night time.  
" Goodnight Jo…" Guillaume kissed her forehead before laying back down on the ground and sighing heavily.  
" Goodnight…" Jo murmured, laying down beside him and closing her eyes. Within moments her breathing became heavier and she was all of a sudden lost in a dream that, once again, seemed so real…so real it was as if…she was there…

_The two winged girls were running, still chasing each other. Their laughter echoing in her mind as she smiled slightly in her sleep. Chasing each other happily amongst bushes that gradually became thicker as more and more trees appeared around them. The two girls also seemed to change. At first it looked like a trick of the light had stripped them of their wings and had made their hair darker and longer. But as a patch of sunlight fell through the trees onto them, it became clear these were now two different children.  
Still two girls, but now one looking slightly older with flowing flame colour hair. The other, the younger of the two had long, dark hair, curling down her back. These two seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere as they ran through the trees…  
_It was the same two girls as before…but time had obviously passed…both seemed older then before…_  
" Come on, keep up will you!" The dark haired girl giggled loudly as she ran quickly, weaving in and out of the trees.  
_Their voices…she could actually hear their voices…_  
" **You** try keeping up in a dress like this!" The other girl yelled back at her from where she was trailing behind.  
" Well I seem to be managing…" The dark haired girl had her skirt hitched up above her knees.  
" It would be highly unsuitable for _me_ to run in a such an unladylike manner," The flame haired girl retorted huffily.  
" Suit yourself!" Grinned the dark haired girl over her shoulder. " I guess we'll see you later then!" She laughed before picking up speed and disappearing through the trees.  
" I **hate** it when she does that!" The other girl stopped to catch her breath, pushing some of her flowing hair back from her face. Cautiously she looked around, almost as if she was looking for someone spying on her. Once she was sure there was no waiting in the bushes to reproach her for what she was about to do, the girl frowned as she lifted her skirt up above her ankles and took off in the direction that the other girl had run off in.  
The trees and bushes flashed past as the dark haired girl ran. Suddenly she slowed right down, coming to a complete and silent halt next to a large group of bushes. Stealthily she crept through them, careful not to snap any twigs or draw any attention to herself. Once she had nearly broken through them, she peeked through a gap in the leaves and a small smirk crossed her lips.  
Sat upon a boulder, in the small glade on the other side of the bushes, with a large leather bound book resting on his lap was a youth. He looked a little older than the dark haired girl watching him silently from the bushes, with unruly brown hair and a look of intelligence and immense concentration as he pored over the book.  
Just as quietly as before, the dark haired girl came out of the bushes and approached him. His back was facing her and his attention was so focused on his book that in no time at all she was stood a few inches from him. Leaning in, holding her breath, she put her face close to the side of his head, looking down at the book over his shoulder.  
" Anything interesting in there…?!" She said very suddenly and very loudly in his ear.  
The boy leapt into the air, yelling at the top of his voice. Upon returning to earth he turned around with his grey eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed.  
" Ju! Why can't you say 'Hello' like a normal person?! Why do you insist on frightening the life out of people?!" His voice was exasperated. The girl merely grinned at him.  
" Because, dear old Ra," She delicately plucked the heavy book from his hands. " I'm good at it and because that would be boring and therefore something that Dia would probably do!" There was the sound of someone coming through the bushes behind her. " Speaking of which…" Ju sat down on the boulder and began flicking through the pages with a frown on her face as the red headed girl appeared, with a few leaves sticking out of her hair. " So, you decided to join us after all did you Dia?"  
" Oh do be quiet Ju, smart comments **don't** become you," Dia glared at her as she tried to remove the foliage from around her head.  
" You're only saying that 'cos you can never think up any of your own," Ju shot back without missing a beat or looking up from the book now opened on her lap.  
" Girls…" Ra said firmly just as Dia opened her mouth to retort. " It's not as if you two constantly bickering is anything new," He sighed heavily, " But would you mind trying to think up some new insults to use on each other!" He grinned as both of the girls glared at him angrily before Dia gave an exasperated groan and Ju merely smiled slightly wickedly.  
" You know who you sounded like just then…Dee…!" Ju quirked an eyebrow at the grey-eyed boy before skimming the last few pages opened in her lap. " He always had a smart answer for every argument!" Ra frowned, his mouth working silently for a few moments as he watched her. " What ever happened to him anyway…?" Ju continued, as she finally closed the book. " It's like one day he just vanished…or something…"  
" Why do you ask?" There was distinct intrigue in Dia's voice.  
" Yeah, why you worrying about him?" Distinct dislike in Ra's.  
" I was thinking about him the other day," Ju admitted, hugging the huge book to her chest and resting her chin on the top. " I just wondered what he's doing now…where he is…" She glanced at the definitely unimpressed expression on Ra's face and laughed lightly. " Oh come on Ra, he _was_ our friend once…remember…?"  
" Yes, I remember," Ra answered tightly, taking the book from Ju. " Now come on you two…I have a lesson to get to, as do you Dia…in case you'd forgotten…" With that he turned on his heel and walked off quickly and down a path amongst the trees. Ju shrugged before jumping down from the boulder and walked alongside Dia.  
" What's wrong with him now…?" Ju nodded at Ra's back, marching stubbornly in front of them.  
" No doubt something you said," Dia rolled her eyes. " Don't you remember, he and Dee never got on…"  
" I thought we were all friends…" Ju said openly as they stopped and Dia turned her to face her.  
" Come on Ju, you're not that dense are you…?!" Dia scoffed as Ju pouted. " They were always jealous of each other…"  
" Jealous?" Ju laughed as they continued walking.  
" Yeah, Dee was jealous of Ra's intelligence and Ra was jealous because…"  
" Come on you two! You can gossip later…!" Ra's angry voice came back to them through the trees, making them jump.  
" We'd better hurry…" Dia started quickly after Ra.  
" But Dia…" Ju pleaded as they broke into a fast jog to catch up with him.  
" I'll tell you later…" Dia hissed as they caught up with Ra and the three of them walked quickly along the path through the ever thinning trees.  
Soon the trees ended and the three young friends reached a high stone wall, made from large, golden coloured stones.  
" Oh I hate having lessons in weather like this…" Dia groaned, turning her pale face into the warm sunlight shining down on them.  
" Me too…but we all have responsibilities…" Ra began solemnly, and judging from the faces of Dia and Ju it was obviously a speech they had hear many times before.  
" Yeah, yeah…we know…." Dia groaned again. " You coming…?" Dia enquired as Ju picked some flowers from a nearby bush. " Can we tempt you to join us for yet another riveting History lesson all about some random dead relation of mine no doubt?"  
" I don't know, maybe later…I was going to go…" Ju's voice faltered and she stopped.  
" Going where?" Ra's voice was gentler again.  
" Going to go to the gorge…you know…take some flowers…" Ju sighed, leaning against the wall and sliding down until she was sat on the floor beside it. Dia went over and crouched down beside her, her face suddenly full of compassion.  
" Oh Ju, I'd totally forgotten it was today…" She pushed some of Ju's dark hair back from her forehead.  
" Two years ago…" Ju sighed, toying with the flowers in her hands.  
" Are you alright?" Dia continued.  
" Yeah…yeah I'm fine…" Ju tried to sound reassuring but failed somewhat.  
" Well, why not wait and we'll go with you…" Ra suggested gently, crouched on the other side of her.  
" No, you don't have to do that," Ju smiled at them weakly. " Besides…I think I'd rather go and see William by myself…"  
_William? Who was William?_  
" You know…just sit and talk to him for a while…" Ju glanced up at Dia's face, tears clearly shining in her eyes, " Help me say goodbye…"  
" Well if you change your mind…you know where we are…" Ra offered, gently squeezing her shoulder.  
" Yeah," Ju smiled, this time with some genuine warmth in it. " I know where you are!" Ra helped her to her feet and the three of them wander through a large archway through the walls but they didn't get any further. They just stopped, frozen with confusion on all of their faces. The atmosphere inside the walls was completely different to the one outside. It was an atmosphere that was unmistakable. It was panic.  
" Something's wrong…" Ju said darkly, watching as swarms of people ran in complete mayhem from building to building.  
" Come on…" Ra said after a moment's consideration, " We should find out what's going on!" He began to lead the two girls through the panic stricken people.  
" What do you think it is?" Dia's voice was quiet and scared.  
" I don't know," Ra knocked sharply on the door he had led them to. " But hopefully someone in here can tell us." The door was flung open to reveal a man, brandishing a broadsword, with fear written all over his face. The three friends back stepped slightly.  
" Sir…? Sir, it's only us…!" Ra assured him, holding his hands up in front of himself.  
" Why are you still here…?" The man all but yelled, lowering the sword and looking despairingly at the three of them.  
" What's going on here?" Dia demanded.  
" It's an attack," The man answered shortly, his eyes glancing around frantically.  
" Attack?!" Ju exclaimed.  
" You must get away…run now, before it's too late…" The man looked at the worried faces before him.  
" You can't mean for us to abandon…" Ra started.  
" Ra, please…" The man said urgently. " _His_ army will be here any moment…"  
" But sir…surely there must be a way…the King must…" Ra continued before being cut off.  
" Mithras listen to me!" The older man looked down at him severely, taking the grey eyed youth's shoulders into his hands. " You know as well as I do that we have no armies here. It is your job to protect the heir to the throne…now get Dia and Ju out of here! Now!" With that he shoved him back out of the door and slammed it shut.  
_Mithras…?!_  
" What did he say…?" Ju grabbed him by his shoulders and spun him around to face her.  
" He said, he said we have to get out…all of us…"  
" What about my parents…?" Dia's voice trembled with what was unmistakable fear.  
" They'll be fine," Ra said quickly and unconvincingly. Suddenly they spotted a large group of fully armed soldiers had obviously managed to get past the walls and were marching, quickly, towards them. Individual soldiers breaking off from the main group, smashing their way into houses, smashing windows and starting fires.  
" Come on…this way!" Ra yelled, grabbing Dia's hand and yanking her along behind him. Ju watched open mouthed in shock at the chaos unfolding around her before giving chase after Dia and Ra..  
" But where…?" Ju yelled, as a large group of screaming people ran in front of her, blocking Ra and Dia from view and halting her progress. " Hey! Wait you two!" She cried out once the people had passed and she had trouble spotting Ra and Dia in the madness all around her. " Wait for me!" Ju began to sprint off but tripped over the hem of her skirt and skidded along the ground. She only came to rest when she hit something. Frowning she looked up to see what she had hit and as she did so, it felt as if her heart had stopped beating in her chest. Looking down at her was a young face with sandy hair flopping onto the forehead and two bright eyes met hers. The solider just looked down at her, turquoise eyes boring into hers of emerald green. His sword was raised but he did not strike at her. However, out of instinct, Ju flung her arms up over her face,  
" Please…please don't hurt me…" She gasped, " I didn't mean to...you see I was only…"  
" Have no fear…" The youth crouched down before her and held out his hand. His voice was deep and had a grainy texture to it that would probably increase as he grew older. " I will not hurt you…I…" Trembling, Ju put her hand into his and he helped her to her feet. He was taller than she was and he looked a few years older as well. " I could **never** hurt you…" The youth frowned slightly, his sandy eyebrows raised in an expression that was half recognition and half fear. As Ju looked up into his face she was sure she knew him…somehow…  
_It was the boy from the garden…that evening in the summer…_  
" Do I…Who are…Aren't you…?" Ju started but her question wasn't finished. A house near to the two of them was already burning furiously but the fire had obviously found the stove and both Ju and the youth were blown off their feet as it exploded with an earth-shattering bang. After landing a fair distance away Ju opened her eyes slightly, not entirely sure what had happened and if she was all right to find the youth leaning over her concern written on his face. Propping herself up slightly Ju could tell from the way that they had landed that he had been shielding her from the blast. He seemed unable to speak, his mouth slightly open and his eyes looking widely into hers.  
" Are you alright…?" Ju asked gently, reaching to touch his face but his expression suddenly changed. It became harsher and less open. He quickly got to his feet with his sword, Ju noticed, still in his hand.  
" You…you should run…" He said calmly but the look in his eyes was the exact opposite. Nothing short of absolute dread.  
" But I…" Ju was still sat on the ground. " You just saved my life…"  
" Just go…" His tone clearly saying that he didn't wish to be reminded of what he had just done. Ju got rather unsteadily to her feet, unsure of whether it was a result of the explosion or from confusion as to why he was just letting her go.  
" You're just going to let me go…?" One of Ju's eyebrows rose slightly on her forehead. The youth's face was losing it's harsh expression and the more she looked at him the more he reminded her of a frightened child. An expression she was sure she recognised from somewhere…  
" Just run Ju!" The youth lunged forward and, taking hold of her shoulders, propelled her forwards and away from him. " Before it's too late…"  
" How did you…?" Ju made herself stop after travelling a little way to turn back and face him when an older woman suddenly appeared by her side.  
" The princess!" The woman cried, taking hold of Ju's arm and starting to pull her away.  
" Dia's gone with Mithras…they went _that_ way…" Ju pointed in the direction that her friends had run, desperately trying to go the same way. But the woman was pulling her in the opposite direction.  
" You must come with me…" The woman seemed oblivious to Ju's cries as she began pulling her along and away from the youth with the sword. " Mithras and Dia will be safe, don't you fear…But we, we must go another way…"  
" What other way…?" Ju's eyes lingered on the boy with the pale eyes who had just spared her life. " Why can't I go with Dia…?"  
" We must go to the North…he's attacking…it is no longer safe here…"  
" No! I don't want to…" Ju tried to dig her heels in but it was no good. "I want to stay here! Mithras! Dia! Where are you?!" Ju screamed at the top of her lungs as she was dragged away. " I won't leave her…you can't make me…! Dia! No…let me go…! Dia!!" Behind them, the boy with the turquoise eyes just continued to stare after her. Behind him, flames leapt into the air and the sound of hundreds of people screaming in panic joined the crackling and crashing sounds of destruction.  
The once calm streets were suddenly full of mad people, crying, screaming. Trying to run away from the chaos around them.  
All at once the scene began to change…the panic and mayhem was the same but the city…the place that was under attack…it became somewhere else. High walls appeared around the city and the banners changed from red to blue…as the screaming and crying grew louder and louder it suddenly became obvious where this was taking place. Suddenly it all became clear…this was no longer a dream…_

Jo sat bolt upright, a cold sweat all over her body and her eyes wide and fearful. Guillaume shot up beside her, one hand on the hilt of his sword, the other on her shoulder.  
" What? Jo what is it?!" His voice was gentle but panic was evident in his eyes. " You were dreaming…what was it…another nightmare…?!"  
" Mithras! It was Mithras…in my dream…I think…" Jo looked at him, her face pale. " I think Vaniria is going to be attacked!" Scrambling to her feet and half running, half stumbling towards the nearest campfire, she fell to her knees and looked deep into the flames. " I have to warn him! I have to warn Vaniria!"


	34. PART 70

Mithras awoke with a jolt, a cold sweat had broken out on his forehead. With a shaking hand he lit the candle by his bedside. The glow of the flame did little to calm his nerves and slow the frightening pace at which his heart was racing. Running a hand through his thick brown hair he tried to work out what it was that had not only woken him from his sleep but that had frightened him so. Staring into the candle flame a voice seemed to call to him. It was Jo's voice, he was certain, her words indiscernible but her tone unmistakable. Scrambling out of bed, Mithras dashed over to the window. His grey eyes peered out into the darkness, looking beyond the city walls for something. Anything.  
" What is it Jo?" He mumbled to himself, frowning at the darkness outside his window. " What are you warning me about…?" It was then that he saw them. His skin rippled with gooseflesh and his mouth hung open in a silent exclamation of surprise and alarm. In the distance a line of torches were making their way towards the city. Moving with speed and precision. Mithras didn't doubt for a second who it was and what they wanted. Just by looking he guessed that there were at least a hundred men approaching – and approaching fast. Running to the door, he reached down behind his desk and pulled up a sword. Holding it tightly for a moment, he tried to gather his thoughts, but he knew it was too late for that. Taking a deep steadying breath he flung his door open, the draft blowing out the candle's flickering flame, and then flew through it and down the winding staircase of this tower and down towards the rest of the castle. Outside the window the torches drew ever nearer.  
Mithras thundered down the stairs, taking them two at a time, before charging down the corridor towards the King and Queen's chambers. Upon reaching the heavy wooden doors, into which 'L'Étoiles de l'amitié' had been carved, the usually reserved Mithras could not wait on ceremony, he burst through them.  
" Who's there…?" Eos' frightened voice came through the darkness.  
" Whoever you are, you'd better hurry and state your business before…" There was a clattering noise as Marduk sought his sword.  
" Your majesties…" Mithras spoke quickly and breathlessly. " Attack…there's going to be an attack…"  
" What on earth are you muttering about…" Marduk started but Mithras cut him off.  
" Jo…she sent a warning, a vision…please, you have to follow me!" His tone was now firm and at the mention of Jo's name they instantly believed him. Eos and Marduk quickly got out of bed and frantically began to pull on their robes. Mithras made his way over to their window and his breath caught in his throat. The long line of torches was almost at the city walls. Dashing across the room, to one of the chamber walls, Mithras yanked back a tapestry bearing the crest of Vaniria to reveal a door, which he opened with a hard shove. " Your majesties follow me…" He repeated as he herded the King and Queen towards the now revealed passageway. " We don't have much time!"

" Break them down!" A gravely voice commanded to the torch lit faces surrounding them. The huge gates of Vaniria stood before them. A young soldier looked from the man before him to the gates and then back to the man once more.  
" But sir…we can't possibly…" He was not allowed to finish. With a single fast movement the gravely voiced man picked up the young soldier and flung him mercilessly against the doors. He hit them with a dull thud before sliding to the ground where he lay, motionless. The gravely voiced man ran a hand through his sandy hair, his turquoise eyes flashing dangerously.  
" I said…break them down!" His voice was worrying quiet and he enunciated every word so his tone was unmistakable. Before he had finished speaking the men were already trying to break through the solid doors before them, stepping over the still body now on the ground. Dedra swept some of his hair back from his forehead, grim satisfaction on his face as he watched the soldiers beginning to break through the doors. Their axes and swords were slowly but surely hacking the wood apart. From inside the walls the sounds of frightened cries filled the air as the people in the walled city were awoken by the sounds of soldiers smashing their way through the gates.  
" Remember…" Dedra said firmly as the soldiers had almost made a hole big enough to get a couple of men through. " You are to touch _none_ of the people…no one is to leave but _no one_ is to be harmed," His eyes flickered for a moment. " The _things_ we want are inside the castle!" Glancing at the young faces before him a cruel smile crossed his face. " You all know what to do…half of you guard the gates and walls, round up the citizens. The rest of you…to the castle with me!" With that Dedra drew his sword and dove through the gap in the gates, followed quickly by the rest of his men.

Mithras froze, along with Marduk and Eos as the doors to the hall opened with a loud crash. The stairway had led them down through the castle and into the suite of rooms that the friends had used during their stay and during their training. Mithras had then dragged a very confused Marduk and Eos through another hidden doorway. This staircase had brought them down into the Great Hall. Mithras knew there was another passageway behind the thrones at the opposite end of the hall. If they could get to it, it would take them outside and under the city walls. It would take them to safety. But it now looked like getting there wasn't going to be as easy as they had hoped it would be.  
Mithras motioned for the King and Queen to stay silent and still behind the tapestry, Eos nodded back, her face white with fright. The sound of footsteps entered the hall, echoing off the marble floor and stonewalls. Mithras closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he held the sword tightly in his hand. Trying not to move the tapestry that had so far kept both him and the monarchs hidden, Mithras glanced around the edge. His grey eyes widened and he whipped his head back behind the tapestry. But what had shocked him was not the twenty or so armed guards that had entered the hall, or even the broadsword carried by the man who led them. It was the man himself. Mithras had seen a face he had not seen for nearly ten years. A face that filled the usually passive tutor with rage, two turquoise eyes he remembered only too well.  
" Dedra," He spat through gritted teeth as he tried to calm himself.  
" Hello…?" A voice rang out in the silent hall and the sound of footsteps moving across the marbled floor followed. " Anyone at home…?" The voice was smug and taunting and made Mithras subconsciously ball his hands into fists.  
The footsteps wandered out into the centre of the room and Mithras held his breath, trying to prevent himself from shaking and revealing their hiding place.  
" Aha…" Dedra's voice laughed. " I think I've found you…" The King and Queen exchanged looks of pure fear as Mithras tried to figure someway out. " Don't make me come and get you…" Dedra continued. Mithras thought for a moment. Dedra could be bluffing. He may have no idea where they were hidden. However, it seemed Dedra _did_ know where they were. The sound of an arrow being released echoed in the hall. Eos stifled a scream as it appeared through the curtain, inches from her face.  
" Come out come out wherever you are…" Dedra continued to taunt. " Come on Mithras…come and say hello to an old friend…" Dedra's mouth curled into a scornful smile. Mithras glanced at the King and Queen, if they stayed quiet than Dedra may believe him to be alone. He could divert his attention long enough for them to get to the other passage, to get away. Taking a deep breath Mithras, motioned for the Royals to stay where they were and then stepped around the edge of the curtain, his hand holding the handle of his sword firmly. Mithras' grey eyes looked straight into the turquoise ones of his enemy.  
" Well, well, well…" Dedra smiled but it was far from a pleasant expression. " Haven't we grown? Life at court must agree with you I think…" He sneered while Mithras' face remained impassive. " What…?" Dedra feigned a look of hurt. " No brotherly embrace for your old friend?" A sandy eyebrow rose on his forehead.  
" I'd rather hug a rattlesnake," Mithras said calmly. Dedra laughed, it bounced off the walls loudly  
" Such insults are not like you, not like the calm, quiet…" Dedra's eyes sparkled. "…_Cowardly_ tutor I once knew…" Mithras fought the urge to retort, biting his lip as Dedra continued. " I think you have been associating with the wrong kinds of people…" Dedra's hand moved up to touch the bead, suspended around his neck. Mithras heart stopped beating for a second, or at least it felt like it did. It was one of the beads he had given to Jo as a leaving present.  
" What have you done to her…?" Mithras' voice was quiet but his eyes shone with rage. Dedra gestured to himself with an innocent expression.  
" Me…?" Dedra sounded shocked. " What have I done to who…?"  
" Where…is…she…?" Mithras' grip on his sword tightened, he took a step towards Dedra and spoke through gritted teeth. " Where are they…?"  
" Oh…_her_…" Dedra's lips once again twisted into an evil smirk. " Your young protégé…you _always_ did manage to develop a soft spot for the ones out of your reach didn't you…it seems the spells cast over you as a youth have not faded…regardless of how futile your affections were…" Mithras could listen to more, with a swift and fluid movement he drew his sword and flung the scabbard on the ground.  
" No more futile than yours, as I remember!" Mithras' tone was scathing and he was almost pleasantly surprised to see anger and shock briefly flare up in the face before him. " Now, what do you want here…_Dedra_…?" Mithras said his name as if it was the vilest thing in existence. " If you're after the King and Queen you're too late…Jo sent a warning of your little attack and they've escaped…" Mithras hoped that Dedra wouldn't pick up on the trembling in his voice.  
" Really…" Dedra mused; his sword remained sheathed and began to pace back and forth before the young tutor, seemingly oblivious to his aggressive stance and the sword in his hands. " It makes no real difference…now then, you can make this easy or you can make this difficult..." He stopped his pacing and looked into the eyes before him. " Obsequious just wants to speak with you..._you_...that's all...come along and no one else needs to be hurt..." This was not strictly the truth but somewhere deep in his heart Dedra wished it was.  
" Bullshit!" Mithras answered.  
" ' What a blunt fellow this grown to be, he was quick mettle when he went to school,'" Dedra said tauntingly.  
" I see that while you may have forgotten most of your upbringing some of our past stays with you..." Mithras' tone was grim.  
" I have many a quote stored away thanks to our tutors of old, one of which seems particularly apt...'You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful'" Dedra said plainly.  
" Yes but the quote does not end there...' I never was nor never will be false'..." Mithras laughed, " And present circumstances, not to mention your past record, would indicate that is not strictly true..." His brief smile became sad. " You were just as good a student as me Dedra, better in many ways...why did you let yourself fall..." A silence followed.  
" I was never a student like you Mithras...I could never have been..." Dedra finally said.  
" Why not?" Genuine curiosity edged Mithras' voice. " We shared the same opportunities…we even shared the same friends…for a while at least, before you-"  
" We're not here to go on some rose-tinted trip down memory lane Mithras!" Suddenly Dedra's voice had become harsher as he snapped at him.  
" Then what _are_ we here for?" The tutor shot back not missing a beat.  
" Well, I don't know about you…" Dedra's voice had become calm once again; calm, calculating and unmistakably deadly. A fact that was augmented as Dedra drew his long sword carefully and purposefully, his pale eyes never shifting from the equally pale ones before him. " But I came to collect something and as you know very well, my old _friend_, I never leave empty handed," He span the sword between his hands so quickly that it became a blur of polished metal between them. He did it partly to unleash some of the angry energy that he was fighting to contain and partly to try and intimidate Mithras, intimidate him into surrender. It was true that just the sight of the young tutor from his past had managed to raise his temper but still, for some reason not quite understood by Dedra, he did not want to fight him if he could help it. Subconsciously, he reached up once more and touched the bead around his neck gently, feeling a brief wave of warmth flow through him; like the feeling he had experienced the day he had left the group up in the mountains. Forcing his mind back to the present he felt a smile forming on his lips as he looked over at the young man before him, his sword trembling imperceptibly in his hands and pure determination set on his face. " So, what are you here for?"  
" Sorry to disappoint you Dedra," Mithras smiled back as bravely as he could. " But I'm here to make sure you leave empty handed." With that he took a deep breath and charged, his eyes set on the man before him and his mind set on the image of the friends he had bid farewell to a few weeks before. They were not going to let him down and he had no intention of letting them down. Dedra was a little taken aback by both Mithras' answer and by his sudden charge. But not _that_ taken aback. With lightning reflexes he brought his sword down towards Mithras', deflecting it and sending the tutor stumbling to the side. As he staggered and turned back around to face him Dedra laughed.  
" Nice try, but if that's all you've got I suggest you give up now,"  
" Not on your life," Mithras' voice was slightly breathless but his spirit wasn't even dented as he charged again. The two men fought back and forth across the floor, trading insults and blows almost constantly.  
" Why _are_ you here?" Mithras asked for what seemed to be the tenth time.  
" I told you," Dedra answered back almost casually as he swung his sword at the young tutor. " I came to collect something…"  
" Well whatever it is, you're going to have to fight for it…" Mithras lunged at the sandy-haired man.  
" Isn't that what we're doing…?" Dedra paused in his assault and quirked an eyebrow. Mithras paused, his mouth working quickly to try and find a suitable retort but he had to settle for a grumbled,  
" Oh shut up!"  
Before Dedra could come back with anything a sudden scream pierced the air and made them freeze. Both of them span around and the sight that met their eyes made of them gasp in shock. One of the soldiers accompanying Dedra had been probing the tapestries and curtains hanging on the walls with their sword, obviously searching for any other people and it seemed that they had found someone. Eos' lay on the floor, pale and gasping, a large red stain on the front of her gown showing where the sword had pierced her. Marduk was knelt by her side, holding her close as the life flowed from her.  
Dedra was the first to move, he marched straight over the soldier and without a word, ran him through. The soldier slumped to the floor, confusion and apology on his face.  
Mithras dashed over to the side of the King, sorrow showing on his.  
" Get out!" Dedra yelled at the remaining soldiers, who marched as quickly as they could from his sight, dragging their, now dead, fellow soldier behind them. Dedra turned back to face Marduk and Mithras. " This wasn't…" He started to explain before Marduk looked up at him, anger blazing in his eyes.  
" Look what you've done…" His voice was low and quiet. Mithras glared up at Dedra, his eyes narrowed, as Marduk laid Eos' body down on the ground. Mithras and Marduk rose to their feet while Dedra merely looked at them, obviously trying to think of what he should say.  
Then they charged, Mithras' blow was deflected, once again, by Dedra but Marduk struggled to pull his sword from its scabbard as he ran. There was a groan as Marduk and Dedra collided and Mithras closed his eyes tightly, trying not to see what had just happened in front of him. Slowly, taking deep breaths to try and prevent himself from passing out or vomiting, he opened his eyes.  
The King and Queen now lay side by side, motionless, their hands reaching out for each other. A lump jumped mercilessly in Mithras' throat.  
" That wasn't meant to happen…" A voice said quietly from somewhere behind him. He turned around to see Dedra stood with what looked like fairly genuine regret on his face. " I'm sorry…" However, Mithras' anger had grown to the extent that he could see nothing but the blood stained sword in Dedra's hand and the murdered monarchs on the ground and hear nothing but the steady pounding of his own heart, banging loudly in his ears. Mithras raised his sword up in front of him and muttered,  
" Now, we end this," before charging at Dedra, a yell of pure pain and anger coming from his lips. Their swords clashed louder then ever and as Dedra thrust his blow aside, Mithras raised his fist and smashed it across his jaw before crying out as a sharp pain struck the back of his head. Dedra had struck him back, with the handle of his sword. Mithras fell heavily in a heap at Dedra's feet, the clang as his sword hit the marble floor echoed around the hall like a death bell.  
" Idiot!" Dedra muttered angrily as he wiped at his now split lip with the back of his hand, his eyes flitting around the room. Landing on the bodies of the King and Queen he wandered over and knelt down beside them. Gently, Dedra turned their bodies over, quickly scanning their bodies for signs of the crystal Obsequious had sent him to look for. But there was nothing, the only thing Dedra noticed was a mark on Eos' finger, a circle of paler skin where perhaps she had worn a ring and had taken it off. Dedra sat back on his heels for a moment or two, biting hip lip and frowning. He glanced back over his shoulder to where his former childhood friend lay still on the ground and the ghost of a smile flickered over his face. He stood up and wandered back over to where Mithras lay and looked down at him, one eyebrow raised. " Do you know where it is…my old _friend_…? Hmmm…?" Dedra's frown deepened. " I asked you a question!" With that Dedra kicked out suddenly and sharply with his foot and hit the tutor square in the chest. The grin reappeared on his face as Dedra continued. " Where is it…? Where have they hidden it…? Tell me Mithras…Tell me now!" Each of his statements was punctuated by a dull thud as he kicked out at Mithras. " Tell your old friend…!" All at once Dedra became quiet and sank down beside Mithras. The frowned replaced by a look of absolute despair, and when he spoke again his voice was much quieter and gentler than before. He reached out and laid a hand on the shoulder before him. " I'm…I'm sorry…" Dedra sniffed loudly as he was suddenly aware that there were tears in his eyes. " What has become of me…how did this happen…?" His glance flew back over to where the King and Queen lay. " I'll make it right…I promise you…I'll-" The sound of the door opening made Dedra leap to his feet and wipe viciously at the damp patches under his eyes and on his cheeks. A young soldier made his way cautiously over towards him.  
" Sir…?" His voice was trembling.  
" What is it?" Dedra snapped.  
" We've searched the castle, sir…"  
" Yes…and…?"  
" We've found no sign of the crystal yet…but maybe…"  
" Never mind 'maybe'…" Dedra turned to face the young soldier. " The crystal isn't here…it must be with the 'Strangers'…" Dedra's voice was firm once again. " We will return to Obsequious…"  
" What about…what about the King and Queen, sir…?" The young soldier glanced over at the bodies on the far side of the hall.  
" What about them…?" Dedra asked scathingly. " I think they're a little beyond the help a bandage could provide."  
" Yes, sir…" The soldier bowed his head slightly.  
" We'll leave them here…in their kingdom…" Dedra explained harshly. " As for this one…he's coming with us," Dedra bent to pick up Mithras' sword from the floor and slipped it into his belt, alongside his own. " Master's orders."  
" Sir…?" The boy swallowed again as he looked down at the still and bloodied body at his Captain's feet.  
" Obsequious didn't specify dead or alive…" Dedra sneered, " So, he will arrive in a state that will allow both possibilities…with little effort either way…" Giving Mithras one more look of complete disdain, Dedra marched out of the hall, leaving the soldiers to haul Mithras up and carry him away.  
As the large doors slammed shut behind them, there was a scrabbling sound in the far corner of the Great Hall and a blue creature dashed as quickly as it could manage across the floor. It halted upon reaching the King and Queen and stood in what would have looked like veneration to an onlooker, mewing softly, tears dropping from it's large blue eyes. After a moment or two, it wiped the tears away and moved over to one of the windows and, after looking suspiciously around it, jumped through it.


	35. PART 71

" So, Mithras was in your dream?" Lina frowned as the group sat around the following morning. The story of Jo's 'vision' had spread like wildfire and now many of the Crystallians, who the very day before had been flocking around them, were now avoiding them with wary looks in their eyes whenever they came near.  
" Kind of," Jo started, running a hand through her hair. " Well at least I think it was him…it looked like him, younger but they were the same eyes for certain, and someone _did_ call him Mithras, at least I _think_ they did…" Jo exhaled heavily. " It was all very confused. There was an attack of some kind going on and these people, these kids were caught up in it…"  
" But you're sure it was 'Mithras' that they said…?" Lucy's tone was gently inquisitive.  
" Yeah…well, I think so…but the girls, they're same ones that I've dreamt about before, the girls in the dream they…they called him something else…Ray or Ri…or something like that…"  
" …Ra…" Aradia said quietly, her eyes looking around but not quite meeting anyone's gaze.  
" That's it," Jo said loudly, snapping her fingers with a smile before realising what had just happened. The smile slowly fading from her face as she turned to face the princess. " How did you…?"  
" It was his nickname…" Aradia's tone was slightly distressed, as if she was being forced to share a secret she would rather not divulge.  
" Nickname?" Jenny's tone was pure disbelief.  
" _When_ was it his nickname…?" Lucy's was similar but more gentle.  
" When we were children…" Aradia raised her lilac eyes to look at them all and Jo let out a silent exclamation as realisation hit her. " There were four of us and we all, well we all had a nickname…" Aradia's gaze became guilty as she glanced over at Jo.  
" You…you were Dia?" Jo exclaimed.  
" Once," The princess admitted. " But…"  
" So you _knew_, you knew that what I was dreaming was true and yet you let me think…!" Jo's anger got the better of her and she was unable to finish.  
" So you and Mithras grew up together…?" Guillaume asked conversationally, laying a calming hand on Jo's shoulder. " What were these nicknames about then…?"  
" Yes…Ra was short for Mithras, Dia was mine, Ju was short for Julia and…" Aradia suddenly paused, a flicker of anger passing over her face.  
" And who was Dee then…?" Jo managed to ask, now much calmer.  
" Dee…Dee was a fellow apprentice along with Mithras, they were both in training to be tutors…" Aradia's expression became sour. " He was a friend, a close one too, and then, one day, he left…we never saw or heard from him again…"  
" What was his name…?" Amos quirked an eyebrow.  
" Dedra…his name was Dedra…" Aradia's lilac eyes were fierce with a burning anger that had obviously been raging inside for some time. " Rumour had it that he had gone over to Incubus' side…" She wrinkled her nose in disgust. " Wouldn't surprise me if that's what happened to him, he was always…keeping secrets…"  
" But who was William…?" Jo frowned. " And why was Ju so upset about him…?"  
" William was Ju's best friend…no, Mithras was her _best_ friend but Ju and William…were even closer than that…I thought, in fact I think _everyone_ thought at one time that they would marry, even though it was frowned upon," Aradia brushed her hair back from her face with a sigh. " He was a soldier…a truly good person…"  
" What happened to him then?" Jo persisted.  
" He died," Aradia shut her eyes briefly. " He fell down a gorge…it was awful…"  
" That sounds terrible…" Rosie shuddered, subconsciously holding Marius' hand tighter in her own.  
" What happened to Ju after that…?" Amos asked quietly.  
" Well…she carried on, for a while at least, and then the day of the attack on Aesina…she just vanished…"  
" 'Vanished'?" Lina repeated cautiously.  
" Yeah…she was following Mithras and me for a while then we turned back and she'd gone…we assumed the worst, nothing was seen or heard of her after that…" Aradia cast a wary look over towards Jo. " But if your dream was indeed some kind of glimpse into the past, then perhaps she did escape…"  
"Perhaps…" Jo agreed, with a voice much quieter than usual and an attempt at a smile on her face. " Perhaps she did…"

" Why is it, no matter how hard I try, I can _never_ get rid of all the smudges on this blade…?" Lucy groaned as she polished her sword.  
" Practice," Lina said lazily, examining her own mirror like and completely smudge free blade with the faintest trace of pride on her face. The friends had decided to take the time while they had it, to clean out and fix where necessary their equipment. They had been travelling for several weeks now and the wear on their boots alone made them wonder just how much further they could have gone without them falling apart completely. The wear and tear of the journey had also taken it out of their tunics, trousers and other clothing but their cloaks, as promised by Eos, looked as pristine as they had done upon their presentation back in the Great Hall back in Vaniria. The Crystallians had furnished them with new clothes and boots, and even replenished their arrows, restrung their bows and had now provided them with waxes and polishes for their daggers and swords.  
" Er…Jo…?" Mark frowned, his gaze fixed on something behind her.  
" Yeah…?" Jo didn't look up from the sword she was cleaning carefully.  
" This may sound odd but…I think there's a blue pom-pom with legs who's coming this way…" Now it was Jo's turn to frown as she looked up at him, put down the sword, frowned and glanced back over her shoulder. There, a few feet away was indeed what looked like a blue ball of fuzz coming slowly towards them.  
" What is _that_…?" Bertrande shrieked, trying to back away from the cat-sized creature as it drew nearer.  
" It can't be…" Jo and Lina said simultaneously, dropping their swords and dashing over to it just as it collapsed onto the ground.  
" Milf…?" Lina turned the creature over gently, as the other friends gathered around. It's bright blue fur was marked in some places with what looked like dirt and blood.  
" Oh my God, Milf…what happened…?" Jo asked gently as the creature's big eyes fluttered open.  
" You mean you _know_ this thing…?" Phillipe muttered with disbelief.  
" Yes," Came the short reply from Jo as Milf gasped at the air.  
" Found you…have found you…" Milf mumbled his eyes fixing on Lina's face then Jo's. " It's so good…so good to have found you, but still so bad…so sad…" His large blue eyes filled with tears that ran through his fur.  
" What's so bad Milf…?" Lina asked hesitantly. " Why have you left Vaniria…?"  
" Attacked…men with swords and armour, they came in the night…" Milf struggled to sit up, his voice trembling through obvious sadness.  
" Oh my…" Aradia gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as the blue creature continued.  
" They broke through the gates…and they came, they came into the castle…" Milf closed his large eyes briefly.  
" What did they want in the castle, Milf?" Lina urged as carefully as she could.  
" Don't know…they took nothing but…" His voice faltered again as his gaze fell onto the faces before him.  
" What…what did they take…?" Mark swallowed noisily wanting to know and not wanting to know in the same breath.  
" They took Mithras…" Milf finally said. There was a pause.  
" What do you mean 'they took Mithras', where, _where_ did they take him…?" There was now distinct panic in Jo's voice.  
" I do not know…but he fought them, he tried to help their majesties escape…Mithras fought but it wasn't his fault…it was an accident…" Milf shook his head as more tears leaked from his eyes.  
" Accident?" Jenny echoed cautiously.  
" What happened Milf…?" Amos could feel his heart pounding louder and louder in his chest.  
" Their majesties…King Marduk and Queen Eos…" Milf's voice wavered before he managed to whisper. " They're dead…"  
The group sat in silence, contemplating what they had just been told. Aradia wasn't the only one who found tears starting to work their way down her cheeks.  
" Dead…" Glyndwr managed to mumble after a few moments had passed.  
" This has to have been Obsequious," Lina's tone was quiet.  
" But what would he want with Mithras…?" Guillaume frowned, his dark brows knitting together over his brooding eyes.  
" Who knows…but if Obsequious _is_ involved then whatever it is, it can't be good…" Simon's expression was serious and his blue eyes flashed.  
Ella and Tom suddenly landed beside them, their faces taut with anger.  
" Vaniria is lost…" Ella gasped heavily.  
" We've already heard," Marius said darkly.  
" Then you know about the…" Tom's usually voluble voice faltered slightly. " The King and Queen…?"  
" …Yes…" Martin nodded solemnly.  
" Does this mean you'll have to rule both Aesina _and_ Vaniria now…?" Rosie asked Aradia with wide eyes.  
" In the absence of another heir…I assume so…" Aradia answered quietly, rising to her feet and wiping the tears from her face.  
" Wasn't there always…?" Ella began before glancing uncertainly at Tom and shutting her mouth again.  
" Always what…?" Mark repeated slowly, leaning forwards.  
" Nothing," Tom said sharply, casting a glance at Ella that amounted to nothing short of absolute detestation.  
" Let her speak…" Lina commanded calmly.  
" It's just that when I was a child, I remember hearing a story about another heir to the throne of Vaniria…" Ella's voice was uncertain as she began to explain herself. " That the old laws stated that should the King and Queen of Aesina have a second child, they would inherit the throne of Vaniria in the absence of a Vanirian born heir…and vice versa…"  
" It's true," Aradia nodded sadly. " But for that law to be applied now…I would have had to have had a sister…and I had none…"  
" What if they were kept secret from you though…?" Bertrande suggested cautiously, not wishing to upset the princess more than she had to.  
" We cannot pin our hopes on a _legend_ that simply won't come true…" Tom grumbled.  
" What, like the _legend_ of the _'Strangers'_ you mean…?" Simon quirked an eyebrow as his eyes glowed at Tom's, almost daring him to try and fight him.  
" You know what I mean," Tom snapped back, although looking away from Simon as he did so.  
" All legends must have a basis in fact though…" Lucy mumbled.  
" And they are fed by hope, more often than not," Tom's voice was pessimistic.  
" But without hope…what do we have…?" Phillipe mused seriously.  
" So…I guess the question is, who was this second heir then…?" Martin began.  
" Do you know just how _crazy_ you all sound?" Tom exclaimed, his large red and white wings flapping agitatedly behind him. " Alright…even _if_ there was a second child, and even _if_ they managed to escape Incubus' invasion and were still alive today, they would have _no_ idea of who they truly are. For their own safety it will have been kept from them." Tom continued.  
" Julia!" Jo suddenly shouted causing the others to turn and stare at her. " The girl, from my dream, the girl from _your_ childhood…" Jo glanced over at Aradia who seemed to be thinking very seriously about something. " It's possible surely…"  
" But she…" The Princess frowned. " No, she can't have been…she was the daughter of, well actually I don't know who her family was…but she _was_ just a normal girl…"  
" Perhaps, but if she was so _normal_, why did she associate with you and Mithras…?" Jo raised an eyebrow slightly, her mind flicking through images from her dreams. Julia reading the books Mithras brought with him, her argumentative comments with Aradia.  
" We were friends…" Aradia said in a less certain voice. " I don't remember how we met but I just remember…that she was _always_ there," The others exchanged looks as Aradia's lilac eyes misted with tears for a second, she glanced over at Jo. " So, you're saying…that she, that Julia, might have been my…my sister…" Her voice broke and her lip was trembling almost imperceptibly.  
" I think it's a little too soon to say anything for sure," Lucy sighed. " But you never know…"  
" But this is just a _story_…" Tom groaned. " I think you're all missing the point…"  
" No, _you_ are!" Jo glared angrily at Tom, who quickly shut his mouth. " The point is Julia **did** exist and there _could_ be a second heir! The heir to Vaniria could be alive out there somewhere!" Jo's eyes held a familiar sparkle that hadn't been seen in a while. " And if we find her…then we may just have found a way to beat Obsequious!"

The sun was setting on the horizon, bathing the surrounding land in warm orange light. Up on a hill, rising above the main settlement, there was a large gathering of people standing together as the sun set before them. On every face there was an expression of hope and joy as they stood and watched what was happening.  
Two couples were stood, hand in hand before the crowd as the Elders performed a ceremony. Lina and Simon stood with their eyes locked on each other as the Elders spoke of a bond that would outlast time. Marius and Rosie smiled simultaneously as the Elders spoke of a love that would continue to burn after the stars and the sun had gone.  
The rest of the friends stood and watched as the weddings took place, holding hands and cheering when the Elders announced that the brides may now be kissed. Hundreds of flower petals floated through the air as the newly wed couples walked back down the hill, followed by the masses of onlookers, and into the settlement where music began to play and the celebrations began.  
Soon the party was in full swing, with dancing, food and lots of happy faces. Jo and Rosie stood to one side, watching the party going on in front of them.  
" Well, never thought I'd ever stand and watch you marry Marius Pontmercy…well, not before we ran into that red Gyratory!" Jo giggled as they watched Simon and Lina dancing together, seemingly oblivious to anything but each other.  
" You're telling me…" Rosie smirked just as someone interrupted their conversation.  
" Can I steal my wife away for a moment…?" Marius beamed as he took Rosie's hand.  
" Of course, only make sure you bring her back," Jo winked as the two of them wandered off and away from the party.  
Once they were just outside the settlement, they stood and looked at each other for a moment or two, simply enjoying the pleasure of seeing what was now theirs.  
" A heart full of light," Marius whispered as he held her close to him.  
" A night bright as day…and you must never go away," Rosie sighed, resting her head against his chest.  
" I'll never leave you," Marius lifted her chin so he could see her face.  
" I'll never let you," Rosie grinned.  
" I love you, you know," Marius ran a hand around the side of her face.  
" And I do love you so very much," Rosie's face held an expression of pure bliss.  
" Come on…Mrs. Pontmercy, we're missing our own party…" Marius smiled as he took his wife's hand and led her back down into the settlement where the music and laughter rose up into the sky where it mingled with the stars above.


	36. PART 72

The morning air was crisp and fresh on their faces as they walked along. Every one of them had a smile on their lips, even though some were larger than others. Marius, Rosie, Lina and Simon had grins on their faces that rivalled the morning sunlight in their dazzling power. Even Billabong's temperament seemed brighter. Having left behind the mountains and raging rivers, the regit's brief return to his home had obviously done him the world of good. He padded alongside Lina near the front of the group, his head held up and a sparkle in his large golden eyes that had been missing for the last couple of weeks that they had been travelling.  
As the sun began to climb higher above them in the sky that was faultlessly blue, the friends had travelled a considerable way. When they looked behind them, the towering spires of Crystallia had all but faded into the distant horizon and they were surrounded by acre after acre of lush green land. They continued to walk until hunger began to gnaw at them and they stopped by a small group of trees, which, while providing them with fruit, also gave them some shade to relax in.  
" I have a question…" Rosie asked.  
" If this is the one about where babies come from…firstly, I think I would be more than slightly worried if you didn't already know and secondly, you should be asking your husband!" Jo smirked wickedly before Rosie launched an apple at her head.  
" Oh grow up Jo," Rosie pouted before continuing, " It's actually something I thought of back in Vaniria but…" She paused. " After the attack, where did all the Aesinians go…?"  
There was a brief silence and Rosie wondered if she'd asked a question she shouldn't.  
" They weren't captured by Incubus or anything awful were they…?" Lucy swallowed her mouthful of fruit.  
" Well, I know many were killed…and hundreds fled from the siege…" Aradia said quietly.  
" Rumour has it that many _did_ flee from the siege and that they re-grouped somewhere in the North, built a new settlement and began a new life," Lina stretched her wing with a groan, it was healing but no where near as quickly as she would like.  
" Any idea where…?" Mark asked.  
" None," Lina shrugged. " No one I know of has ever actually _found_ this settlement…or met anyone who's from there."  
" It's supposed to be over here in the East though isn't it…?" Glyndwr chipped in.  
" Apparently," Lina took a sip of water. " Who knows, we might find it!" She grinned.  
" Well, it can't be _that_ hard to miss a settlement out here on the plains surely…" Jenny scoffed, throwing an apple over to Amos who caught it and took a large bite before asking thickly.  
" Why'd you ask anyway…?" This, they assumed was to Rosie, rather then Jenny.  
" Well, it's just that at some point, like it or not…we're probably going to end up coming face to face with this Obsequious guy…" She replied.  
" Besides which, if he's anything like his father he won't face us alone…" Jo grumbled.  
" And you think that they might join us…?" Martin paused as he passed the water to Guillaume.  
" I don't see why not…" Rosie said plainly.  
" I mean, he's not only threatening to repeat the siege of Aesina on Vaniria, he's threatening to take away _everything_…from _everyone_…" Guillaume's tone was firm. " Why wouldn't they join us?"  
" Let's not start getting ahead of ourselves…" Phillipe's voice said reasonably. " We haven't even found these Aesinians yet…let's worry about convincing them of the worthiness of our cause when we manage that task, which may I remind you is hardly simple!"  
" No I'm serious…" Guillaume rose up onto his knees. " Take a good look at these countries we are trying to protect, trying to save…look around, can't you see what this world has become?"  
" Guillaume…?" Jo's voice was wary as she listened to his not totally unfamiliar words and noted the unusual glow in Guillaume's eyes as he continued unabashed.  
" Everywhere is chaos, everywhere is doubt…"  
" I think you've made your point now," Simon said placatingly, laying a hand on Guillaume's shoulder before Guillaume jerked it away.  
" Don't you see, in the face of peril, goodness…" Guillaume continued to almost preach before Jo cut him off.  
" Goodness shall prevail," Her voice was quiet but it silenced him as quickly and efficiently as if she had yelled his name at the top of her voice.  
" How…how did you know I was going to say that…?" Guillaume slowly sank back down, confusion showing in his eyes and dark furrowed brow.  
" Just a feeling," She smiled as warmly as she could before sensing the awkward silence that had descended upon them all.  
" Come on then…" Marius said after a pause, helping Rosie to her feet. " We're not going to find any villages or crystals sitting here are we…?"  
" This is true," Amos grinned, jumping up and brushing the grass from his trousers.  
" I suppose you're right…" Aradia groaned. As she started to get up, Glyndwr offered a hand to help her up. As first she just stared at him, eyes slightly narrowed and contempt on her face.  
" No one's watching you know…" He winked. Aradia's pale cheeks coloured slightly and she took his hand and allowed him to help her up.  
" Thank you," She muttered as she pushed past him and began to follow the others as they headed back out onto the plains.  
" My pleasure, your highness," Glyndwr sighed, going after her. " My pleasure."

As the sun rose higher in the sky, the air grew warmer and warmer and the fresh breeze that had refreshed them all morning, all but vanished. The talking amongst the friends petered out and their pace became increasingly lethargic.  
" Can we stop…please…?" Aradia groaned after a couple of hours had passed since their last break. Jo merely nodded and the friends collapsed gratefully down onto the grass, fumbling to try and get to their water in their packs.  
" It's too hot," Marius gasped before gulping down some water.  
" Tell me about it…" Jo wiped at her forehead with her tunic.  
The group lay in the sun for a while, trying to cool down, but with the absence of a breeze all they ended up doing was sun bathing.  
" I guess it's not so bad…" Phillipe rolled up his sleeves and turned his face up into the sun. " I'd rather be out here than stuck inside somewhere on a day like this…"  
The others sighed and nodded their agreement. After a few minutes Jo got up and wandered away from the others, rubbing her forehead and frowning. After exchanging a few worried glances, Rosie, Jenny, Lucy and Mark followed her.  
" Hey, are you alright…?" Jenny asked as Jo rubbed her neck.  
" Yeah, I've got a bit of a headache that's all. I'm just tired I guess…" Jo sighed.  
" Jo, can I ask…what was all that with Guillaume back there…?" Lucy hissed once she was sure the rest of the group couldn't hear them.  
" Yeah, I mean, not to sound stupid-" Mark began.  
" Too late!" Rosie and Jo chorused.  
" …But didn't he go a bit, well, '_Guillaume_' on us!" Mark finished, after throwing the two girls a haughty look.  
" He did go a bit weird," Rosie agreed.  
" Well, let's not forget who he _is_…or was at least…" Jo quirked an eyebrow as she explained. " The '_Guillaume_' from 'Martin Guerre' will always be part of him…no matter what happens…"  
" Oh, you mean like Phillipe went all '_Javert_' on us when we met Valjean…I mean Alvejan…" Lucy realised.  
" Something like that, yeah." Jo stretched her arms over her head. " We may leave the past behind, but it never really leaves us…" Looking up as she stretched, Jo could see that on the horizon was the thinnest of black lines. Clouds. And they were storm clouds too judging by the colour. The friends headed back to the others.  
" I think we should try to find some shelter…" Jo murmured, glancing around trying to spot somewhere that might serve their purpose out here on the plains.  
" What for…?" Aradia yawned loudly with a frown. " What's wrong now…?"  
" There's a storm coming," Jo answered flatly, with the slightest trace of annoyance in her voice, "And I don't know about you, but I don't fancy being out here in the middle of no-where when it arrives."  
" What storm? Where…?" Jenny's voice was slightly concerned in tone. Jo pointed vaguely at the horizon where the thin black line had become a marginally thicker black line, while she continued to scan the surrounding area for a suitable shelter.  
" _That's_ a storm?" Amos exclaimed.  
" How'd you figure that one out?" Martin asked warily.  
" It could just be a cloud, couldn't it…?" Bertrande offered.  
" No hills," Jo replied immediately before adding almost as an afterthought. " We're on the plains, there are no hills or mountains to the South to form rain clouds and that's too dark to not have rain in it…"  
" Mountains make rain clouds?" Simon's eyebrows were high on his forehead. Seeing that Jo wasn't going to even try and elaborate or explain, Mark had a go.  
" Well…it's to do with…you see hills…when the clouds…no, hang on…" Mark floundered momentarily before simply settling on. " Yeah, kind of."  
The rest of the group cast a wary glance at the skyline and almost in answer to a question no one dared to ask it, lightning flashed beneath the black clouds now racing across the sky towards them.  
" Oh terrific," Rosie's voice was drenched in sarcasm as she hurriedly snatched her pack from the floor. " Don't suppose Mithras thought to teach you any spells to do with umbrellas did he…?"  
" Dragons…yes. Umbrellas…no!" Jo half-smirked.  
" Dragons…?" Lucy swallowed nervously.  
" Dragons…!" Rosie echoed excitedly. " Cool…"  
" Umbrellas…?" Guillaume quirked a dark eyebrow.  
" Is it an animal?" Simon asked hesitantly.  
" Not _exactly_…" Jo eventually managed to reply after stifling what could have passed for a cough if it wasn't for the telling twinkle in her eyes. " It's a..well, it's a device for keeping you dry when it rains…" Jo tried to mime what it looked like in the air but this was lost on most of those watching, going by the increasingly confused expressions on their faces. " It doesn't matter anyway…I can't _magic_ us up any so let's just leave it!"  
" Sounds good…but what _are_ we going to do about this storm then?" Mark agreed, his green eyes glancing to the darkening sky above them. A wind that was worryingly warm had also begun to dance around them.  
" No idea," Jo answered candidly. " I guess we'll have to make do with our cloaks for now…" She wandered over and ruffled the fur on Billabong's head and neck. " Sorry mate, looks like you're going to get wet!" Just then the sky flashed and a roll of thunder boomed ominously overhead. The sky wasn't grey, or black, it was almost an inky-green in colour and as the first large drops of rain began to fall on them it grew several shades darker.  
" Typical," Lucy grumbled, pulling her cloak closer around herself against the increasing rain. " It never rains but it pours, with us lot!"  
Her statement was answered by two huge forks of lightning just ahead of them and a crack of thunder that sounded as if the very ground beneath their feet had just exploded.  
" You can't expect us to _go_ anywhere in this!" Aradia screeched over the sound of the storm.  
" You reckon?" Jo shot back testily, " Everyone, we need to stand together…like a wall!" Jo yelled to them all and the group formed a close circle, with Billabong huddling between them all. They joined their cloaks together to form a kind of improvised tent. They exchanged somewhat bemused glances inside it.  
" Well at least we're dry…"Lina offered as brightly as she could as another roll of thunder drowned out any further conversation.  
" I suppose that's something…" Phillipe grumbled, pinching his cloak tighter against Marius' next to it to try and stop the rainwater dripping onto his head.  
The friends resigned themselves to standing through the storm and they began to chat amongst themselves, well shout at each other over the thunder and the sound of the rain beating down outside their cloaks at any rate. Glyndwr glanced around the faces around him and frowned when he saw Jo's expression looked to be one of confusion mingled with anger.  
" What you thinking about…?" He asked as subtly as the noise allowed him to.  
" Just the storm…" Jo glanced over, " And how quickly it appeared, that's all."  
" It _is_ a little weird." Glyndwr admitted.  
" I'm not so sure that maybe this storm wasn't _sent_ this way by someone…" Jo added barely audibly.  
" I think you may be right…" Glydnwr agreed darkly as a crack of thunder drowned out any further conversation.

The floor was cold and damp and Mithras had never felt pain anything like this before in his life. The floor was cold and damp and Mithras had never felt pain anything like this before in his life. His entire body felt as if it were slowly, yet viciously ripped apart. Prior investigation had led him to the conclusion that he was in a bad way but it was clear that even in the condition he was in, he was meant to live for a little while longer at least. His skin was a mass of bruises, cuts and dried blood. His left eye had swollen worryingly and he could see nothing out of it, not that there was much to see from where he was sat. His memories of how he had found his way into the dark, damp room in such a state were patchy to say the least. The random beatings since he had arrived had been unpleasant but he knew what they were when they happened. The last few things that remembered for certain were those that pained him the most, the murders of the King and Queen of Vaniria. Murders he _should_ have prevented were it not for Dedra. Mithras could see his smirking face in his mind as clearly as if he were stood before him. _" And if both my eyes worked,"_ he thought wryly in his mind. And yet as clear as that image was, and as worrying, it was the one that confused him the most.  
What had Dedra wanted in Vaniria?  
He had talked about collecting something, and Mithras couldn't bring himself to believe that it had been himself, or the blood of the royals. If it had been then surely he would have just ordered his guards to do the dirty work for him, and thinking back, he had seemed more than a little shocked and upset when the Queen had been killed. Maybe that hadn't been part of the plan after all…  
Mithras tutted to himself as he shifted awkwardly on the floor. If he was honest, he _knew_ why Dedra had fought with him.  
_Unfinished business._  
They had unfinished business from years and years before. Mithras frowned, hissing as the movement sent pain shooting through his head, but surely that hadn't been the sole reason for the attack and taking of Vaniria. Obsequious must have had something bigger in mind than to just send Dedra out on his own personal vengeance mission, no, Dedra must have had another task to complete and had merely decided to kill two birds with one stone. He sighed again and shut his eye, seeing Marduk and Eos laying across the marbled floor side by side. Besides, why all the surprise on his part? When it came to sorting out problems Dedra had always preferred a more _personal_ approach Mithras recalled bitterly, even as a child he had always…  
The door slammed open and Mithras' train of thought was brought to an abrupt halt. Two huge, bull-like guards stood before him.  
" I was wondering when you'd stop by to say 'Good Morning'," Mithras croaked sarcastically. Without a word they stepped inside his cell and hauled him to his feet. Mithras let out a silent cry of agony as his battered body protested the movement. " Ah, I guess we don't have time for the pleasantries this morning then…" He added before receiving a sharp blow to the ribs, causing his eyes to water suddenly. " Then again…maybe we do…" He groaned as they proceeded to half march, half carry him down the corridors and passageways, all so dark and chilling with the wind whistling almost incessantly along them, like a hurried and unfriendly person. Mithras wasn't sure where he was being taken to, was it for another beating or was this for something more serious. As they reached a large set of doors Mithras swallowed nervously, it seemed the answer to his question was nearer than he thought.  
The doors were opened from the inside and the young tutor allowed himself to be pulled through them, his own curiosity partly to blame. Why he had been taken to…wherever he was and not just killed and left behind in Vaniria had been playing on his mind. He knew that Dedra must be involved but the rest of the reasons he hoped lay on the other side of the door, whether they were good or, more than likely, bad, he had to know.  
The hall was large and even with the innumerable windows lining the walls it still seemed dark. The black curtains seemed to absorb all of the light and warmth that tried to penetrate the gloom. Gothic was a word that leapt into his mind, with angular statues and carvings lining the edged of the room, overly ornate stone thrones sat at the far end and as Mithras was thrown down the steps, he noticed a dark figure stood beside one of the thrones.  
He lay where he had landed for a moment or two, trying to overcome the screaming agony that had filled every inch of him and tried to regain control over his body as the doors closed with an ominous booming noise. Then another sound came across the room to where Mithras lay, a voice. A voice that was both at once strange and yet weirdly familiar.  
" Well, well, well," The voice taunted. " Look what the guards dragged in." Mithras struggled but somehow managed to pull himself up onto his knees.  
" Wh-who…?" He mumbled before the voice continued.  
" Honestly Mithras, I'd have thought you would have taken better care of yourself, being the _Royal Tutor_ and everything…" The voice was definitely getting closer but still Mithras could not see nor identify the speaker. He slowly lifted his head and glanced around but still no sight of anyone. He did notice however that the dark figure had moved and was nowhere near the thrones any longer, no where to be seen in fact.  
" Well, the hospitality here hasn't been all that fantastic to be honest," Mithras said eventually. "Wherever _here_ is…" He added cynically. The voice laughed, a high, cold sound that made Mithras shiver inwardly.  
" I do apologise," The voice said insincerely before continuing. " But we not accustomed to having guests here."  
" I can tell," Mithras shot back, twisting round to try and catch sight of whoever it was. " Who are _you_ anyway…" He quirked an eyebrow. " I should like to know just whose '_hospitality_' I have been enjoying." Mithras turned his head the other way and caught sight of a cloak moving behind him. He turned back and jumped as there, crouching in front of him, with their face inches away from his was someone he instantly recognised and yet had never seen before.  
" Mine," The face said with a smile that could only be described as evil. It was a face that was pale and drawn, with black eyes that bore mercilessly into his. It was the face of Obsequious. For a few seconds the two men just looked at each other, each evaluating the other.  
" But where are my manners," Obsequious suddenly said, rising to his feet. " Would you be so kind as to help our _guest_ to a seat…" This was to someone else, someone behind Mithras.  
" Of course," Another voice answered and Mithras' entire body stiffened as Dedra appeared by Obsequious' side and then yanked Mithras unceremoniously to his feet before dragging him over to a chair near one of the walls and dropping him down into it. " There you go." Dedra said in what would have been a friendly tone of voice were it not for the expression of absolute hatred on his face.  
" Thanks," Mithras answered curtly, avoiding eye contact with either of the men before him.  
" So…now that we're all here…" Obsequious settled down in a chair opposite Mithras and motioned for Dedra to do the same.  
" Why have you brought me here?" Mithras cut in, his grey eyes slightly narrowed as he looked over at the black, cold eyes of Obsequious.  
" Just to talk," Obsequious' voice was little more than a whisper but the tone rivalled even the loudest threat the young tutor had ever heard.  
" What about…?" Mithras' voice was becoming increasingly wary, thanks large to the sound of Dedra cracking his knuckles next to him. " I have nothing to say to you that you don't know already, no doubt…"  
" Mithras…I just want us to talk, about many things…" Obsequious purred dangerously. " This has nothing to do with that silly little quest…" His tone was almost reassuring but the glint in his eyes kept Mithras' guard up. " More of a chat…about the past…" Obsequious smirked as he saw even more confusion pour into the face before him. " About old haunts…old _friends_…" Mithras' eyes narrowed even further. " That type of thing…" Mithras glanced from Obsequious to Dedra and back again, suddenly aware that there was a similar glint in both sets of eyes.  
" It's…it's about _her_ isn't it…" Mithras' voice suddenly became stronger, almost complaining in tone. " I thought we'd left all this behind us…"  
" Then you _thought_ wrong didn't you," Dedra said viciously.  
" But it was so long ago now…at least six or seven years…" Mithras began.  
" Nine…It's been nine years," Dedra's voice was suddenly quiet and his hand slipped inside his pocket and he sighed, almost sounding relieved. Mithras frowned, wondering what could possibly be in…?  
" No matter how long," Obsequious regarded the royal tutor coldly. " It is something I would like to discuss with you…both of you…"  
" But we were little more than children then…" Mithras protested.  
" Maybe so…but as I recall, we all did things then that many _adults_ would have thought twice about." Obsequious shot a glance at Dedra which was plainly meant to be one of admiration but Mithras noticed how Dedra squirmed, like a child caught doing something they shouldn't.  
" What did…?" Mithras started before Obsequious cut him off as he continued.  
" Julia was last seen at the siege of Aesina, or so rumour states…" Obsequious said, his fingers playing with the crystal around his neck. " She was with you and the Princess Aradia, was she not…?" This was directed at Mithras but the young tutor looked blankly at him.  
" Sorry…?" Mithras' face became one of ignorance. " Julia was where…?" Mithras emphasised his attitude with a yawn.  
" At the time the city was attacked, Julia was with yourself and the princess…was she not…?" Obsequious annunciated the last few words dangerously.  
" I don't see why you're asking about her…" Mithras stretched as leisurely and as calmly as the pain and his nerves would allow. " Why so eager to know what happened to a local peasant girl…?"  
" Because, you and I both know, Julia was not just '_a local peasant girl_'…_was_ she…!" Obsequious' expression became slightly more smug as Mithras' face paled another shade or two.  
" I…I don't know what you mean…" Mithras said, avoiding the black eyes before him.  
" My lord…?" Dedra chipped in, his voice significantly quieter than usual.  
" Julia was…" Obsequious paused, relishing the horror on Mithras' face and the intrigue on Dedra's. " The heir to the throne of Vaniria."  
" How did you…?" Mithras exclaimed just as Dedra made a strangled sort of noise that sounded like " What?"  
" Or should I say, she _is_ the heir…" Obsequious amended.  
" She's alive…?" Dedra exclaimed. Mithras stayed quiet.  
" I have reason to believe so…" Obsequious continued. " But to be sure…I need to speak with someone in particular…" His thin eyebrows came down lower over his black eyes and his entire face became more angular, more evil in appearance. " Dedra…how easy is it going to be to get the young witch here…?"  
" Jo? Here…?" Dedra exclaimed before realising who he was speaking to.  
" Yes, Jo, here…" Obsequious quirked an eyebrow. " Is that _so_ hard a concept to grasp Dedra…?"  
" No, my lord, it isn't…"  
" Then why the response…?"  
" I think, my lord, we may have some difficulty there…" Dedra chose his words carefully. " You see, I believe Jo has feelings…that she is in love with one of the those she travels with…"  
" I _know_ she is…" Mithras added, more to himself than anyone else.  
" Who is this man…?" Obsequious demanded. " And how hard can it be to get rid of him…?"  
" His name is Guillaume, sir," Dedra replied thinking back to the dark flashing eyes that had looked so accusingly at him at every possibility. " He _is_ very protective of her, sir…and I don't doubt that he is strong, in both body and mind…it _could_ be a problem…"  
" No more of a problem than the incident with that young soldier and Julia I'm sure…what was his name again…?" Obsequious frowned, trying to remember.  
" William, my Lord," Dedra admitted quietly, trying to ignore the look of hatred that Mithras was giving him.  
" That's it, William…!" Obsequious smiled darkly. " I remember now, if you hadn't have _dealt_ with him…who knows what would have happened…"  
" It was a long time ago," Dedra sighed with a grimace. " It was a problem that needed dealing with…"  
" Well, whenever and whatever it was…you managed to deal rather effectively with _that_ particular _problem_ nonetheless…" Obsequious scratched at his chin.  
" Yes my Lord…"  
" You mean, it was _you_ William went to meet that day…" Mithras' voice was a combination of shock and disappointment.  
" Yes," Dedra replied bluntly.  
" I knew you were low, but I _never_ thought you'd stoop…" Mithras' face contorted with disgust. "You bastard…"  
" I'd have thought you'd have been grateful," Dedra snapped at him. " I removed the only obstacle that lay between you and her…" His voice was bitter.  
" Don't be so childish!" Mithras scoffed, " There was nothing between Julia and me…"  
" Not that you wanted there to be," Dedra sniped.  
" Why are you talking about me, Dedra, everyone knew how _you_ felt about her…!" Mithras smirked, vaguely pleased to see embarrassment flare up on his enemy's face.  
" I don't…I mean…You have no…" Dedra floundered angrily for a moment or two, before settling on a more definite response. He stood up and in one fluid movement, punched Mithras across the face and sat back down. " Don't talk about things you don't understand, _Mithras_…"  
" Boys, boys, boys…" Obsequious clicked his tongue annoyingly at the pair of them, as Mithras raised his head to reveal fresh blood now coming from a cut near his mouth.  
" I'm sorry my Lord…" Dedra apologised meekly.  
" Now then…if the play fighting is over…we will go back to Vaniria soon…" Obsequious' black eyes flashed. " I think we'll find there everything we need…"  
" You'll find nothing!" Mithras shot back, willing himself to believe his own words.  
" We'll see…" Obsequious brushed down his cloak as he rose to his feet. " In the meantime, Dedra, I think our _friends_ will now be well on their way South…probably on the plains…" Obsequious' long fingers curled around the crystal shard around his neck and he closed his eyes momentarily. " Yes, they're on the plains…and I'm sure once they've dried out," He chuckled evilly. "…They will then be heading for the southern deserts…" He chuckled again to himself.  
" Sir…?" Dedra swallowed carefully.  
" I think you should go and find them…show them the way once more…" Obsequious smiled, a thoroughly unpleasant expression. " And if Guillaume should meet with an…_accident_…so much the better…" Obsequious chuckled again. " And then, at a suitable moment...come back and bring Jo with you..."  
" Yes my Lord," Dedra bowed his head, gritting his teeth silently.  
" Why should I risk the lives of my men when _they_ can find the crystals and then all I'll have to do…is take them back," Obsequious sounded thoroughly pleased with himself. " And, more to the point, I've feeling their intrepid leader will be able to help me find the elusive Julia…" With that, he threw a dark glance at Mithras before swirling around and leaving the hall without a sound leaving the two former friends alone. Dedra glanced down at Mithras' face, which was now pale from a combination of anger and fear. Dedra's jaw tightened for a moment while he tried to think of something, anything, to say to him but failing to find any words that were suitable, he turned to leave.  
" She'll see through you…" Mithras' voice came after him as he reached the doors. Turning back to face the tutor, he could feel his heartbeat had quickened.  
" What?" He asked shortly, motioning for the two guards to enter and 'collect' Mithras.  
" Jo…she'll see through you," Mithras repeated firmly as he was hauled to his feet once more. " I know she will…"  
" Then you obviously don't know her as well as you think you do," Dedra sniped back harshly before leaving and muttering under his breath as he marched quickly down the corridor, "Because…I think…she already has…"


	37. PART 73

The friends had travelled for two days straight after the storm. The going had been easy and the weather had been much more favourable. The sun was warm but there was a gentle breeze from the west that kept them cool as they hiked onwards. It was in the late morning of their fourth day out on the plains that they saw the first living things, other than themselves, after leaving Crystallia. But to their surprise, it wasn't people that they encountered.  
" Horses?" Simon exclaimed as the friends stood in awe as a herd, well they assumed it was a herd, of at least a hundred horses grazed before them.  
" Where'd they come from…?" Amos sighed in wonder.  
" Are they wild or what…?" Lucy asked.  
" They were probably somebody's property once…from a farm or ranch…" Rosie suggested. "That's assuming that they don't belong to anyone _still_ of course…"  
" Oh…right…" Amos replied, somewhat taken aback that anyone had bothered to answer his question.  
" You mean like in the 'Wild West' or something," Jenny enquired.  
" Kind of," Rosie admitted.  
" Well, they certainly are impressive," Phillipe breathed as two young foals suddenly broke into a rather energetic canter around the other horses. Whinnying noisily.  
" Hey, do you reckon we could…you know…borrow a few of them…?" Martin's young face was mischievous.  
" It _would_ make the walk easier…" Guillaume agreed slyly.  
" Oh and you don't think whoever owns them is going to miss _fifteen_ horses?" Rosie exclaimed.  
" But _you_ said they might be wild…" Martin reminded her.  
" So you think riding _wild_ horses is going to be easier than walking do you?" Rosie snorted.  
" It can't be _that_ difficult…" Guillaume countered, with noticeably less bravura than before.  
" Go on then…why don't you try it…?" Rosie smirked wickedly.  
" I might…" Guillaume stuck his chin out proudly before adding in a barely audible voice, "…Later…"  
" Hang on…!" Aradia exclaimed loudly. " What's that…?"  
" Where…?" Glyndwr murmured as they clustered around, trying to see where exactly the princess was pointing to. She seemed to have noticed something in the middle of the horses before them.  
" I'm sure I saw something sparkling in there," Aradia frowned when the friends failed to spot what she had seen.  
" Are you sure you've not just been sitting in the sun too long…?" Glyndwr smirked before receiving a jab in his shoulder from the now annoyed princess.  
" Watch it _Meander_!" The princess fumed quietly.  
" Are there supposed to be any crystals round here…?" Lucy asked in an attempt to diffuse the possible argument brewing between Aradia and Glyndwr.  
" You know, I'm not entirely sure I didn't see something shiny over there…" Marius admitted as Phillipe took out the map and studied it closely, occasionally glancing up to try and find a landmark he could pinpoint on it.  
" Well the star _is_ here…so I guess that means, the crystal must be too…" Phillipe said, folding the map away carefully. " It hasn't been wrong so far…!"  
" So where exactly it is…?" Marius mused.  
" And where's the challenge in getting it?" Lina frowned suspiciously.  
" Look! There! There is it!" Simon exclaimed, gesturing vigorously into the sea of horses before them. " It's on that white horse there!"  
" What do you mean, _'it's on that white horse'_? How can it be _on_ a horse?" Amos demanded.  
" I don't know, but it is!" Simon threw back with a wide smile. " See!"  
The friends looked where Simon was pointing and one by one their mouths fell open.  
" Well…it certainly is on the white one…" Lina swallowed.  
" But, it's not…" Jenny said slowly, clearly not believing her own words. " It's not a horse…!"  
" Then what the hell is it…?" Rosie frowned and before Jenny could answer, the white animal turned around to face them and the answer became obvious. Protruding from the front of it's face, with the next piece of crystal attached, was a long white and silver horn.  
" It's a Unicorn…" Jo said quietly as they looked in awe at the creature before they looked closer at the unicorn they could see it was actually much bigger than most of the horses around it, but it still looked to be the most graceful creature there. It's mane and tail were pure white, as was it's coat, but it's hair seemed to almost glow it was so bright.  
" So…how do we get the crystal then…?" Aradia asked quietly.  
" More to the point, what do we know about Unicorns…?" Jo asked firmly.  
There was a pause.  
" Well…?" Jo persisted. " Come on, Lina, Aradia…Glyndwr? You guys must know _something_ about them!"  
" All I know is that they are myth," Glyndwr admitted almost sadly.  
" So that puts you in the same place as us lot then!" Rosie rolled her eyes.  
" I know they are rumoured to be fleet of foot…" Aradia murmured.  
" Right, so they're fast…anything else…?" Jo noted.  
" Like if they're dangerous?" Lucy suggested.  
" I don't think so…although their horn is sharp and, I suppose, if you angered it you may be in danger…" Lina shrugged.  
" And do you think trying to nick the crystal from it's horn might _anger_ it…?" Guillaume smirked.  
" As far as I know, Unicorns are the purest of creatures, wise and virtuous, peaceful as well as beautiful…" Aradia explained carefully. " Although they will fight if attacked…but…" She stopped.  
" But what…?" Jo took a step forwards.  
" They can be tamed," Aradia said after a moment or two.  
" Great!" Martin grinned. " How…?"  
" Well, sorry guys, but it has to be a girl…" Aradia smirked as the faces the men in the group fell slightly.  
" So one of us has to go…" Lina nodded thoughtfully as the girls exchanged glances.  
" But, again, it has to be a particular kind of girl…" Aradia said delicately.  
" As in…?" Jo's eyebrows rose quizzically on her brow.  
" Well, let's put it this way…I highly doubt if Lina or Rosie could do it now that they're married…" Aradia explained quietly, trying to hide the light blush that appeared on her cheeks. " I believe the term used is a 'maiden'…"  
" Well then, that leaves me, Aradia, Lucy, Betrande and Jenny…" Jo said plainly.  
" And I've already got a crystal…" Lucy replied.  
" Me too," Jenny shrugged.  
" So it's between Jo, the Princess and Bertrande…" Phillipe said thoughtfully.  
" Before we decide _who_…can we at least have a think about _what_ they're going to have to do…!" Guillaume said firmly.  
" Well I reckon, if we can get onto one of these horses, maybe one of the younger ones, then we could try to catch up with it and then it would just be a case of pulling the crystal off of it's horn…" Simon suggested.  
" Sounds like it _might_ work…" said Amos.  
" That seems _way_ too easy!" Jo frowned, scanning the scene before them as if she expected no less than Obsequious himself to jump out from behind one of the horses.  
" Well, while it doesn't look overly dangerous…_easy_ is not the word I would have chosen…" Mark said plainly.  
" Well, easy or not…someone's got to at least try it…" Jo glanced over at him solemnly.  
" And that someone is going to be me…" A voice came from behind them all. Turning they were more than surprised to see Bertrande stood, hands on her hips and her face set with determination.  
" You sure you want to try _this_ one…?" Lucy asked gently.  
" I'm going to have to do it at some point, why _not_ with _this_ one…?" Bertrande shrugged, flipped her long corn-coloured plait back over her shoulder.  
" You can't be serious…" Mark stammered quietly, echoed by Martin and Guillaume simultaneously.  
" It can't be _that_ difficult," Bertrande repeated Guillaume's comment.  
" That's the spirit!" Lina smiled broadly.  
" Exactly! I mean, you've ridden a horse before, right…?" Rosie began confidently.  
" Well…Not _exactly_…" Bertrande admitted after a rather long pause.  
" What she means is _never_!" Martin exclaimed. " This is a bad idea, a _really_ bad idea…"  
" You're telling me!" Mark all but shrieked, his green eyes shining with concern as he turned to Bertrande. " Sweetheart, you really don't have to do this…I know you're only trying to help but…"  
" And I know _you're_ only trying to help but you're wasting your time…I'm doing this, whether you like it or not!" Bertrande's eyes were unblinking.  
" I don't see why she shouldn't at _least_ be allowed to _try_…" Lucy admitted quietly. " I mean, okay, so she hasn't ridden a horse before…of course it'll make things a little more difficult-"  
" _'Difficult'_? I think '_damn near impossible_' would be closer to the mark," Mark sniped unnecessarily.  
" And your evident support _sweetheart_ makes me feel _so_ much better about it all!" Bertrande glared at him before turning her back on him and walking away slightly.  
" Oh…I didn't mean it like that…I meant…" Mark began before he found a hand clamped over his mouth. He looked down to see Jo looking up at him with a face wearing an expression that was a blend of sympathy and scorn.  
" I know you _mean_ well…at least I think I do…" Jo smirked as she removed her hand and stepped back, " But before you completely wreck your relationship with Bertrande, do us all a favour…and stop talking!" She held up her hand to prevent any response he may have wanted to give and walked firmly after Bertrande.  
She caught up with her quickly and gently tapped her shoulder.  
" You alright…?" Jo asked as carefully as she could as Bertrande turned around to face her.  
" Why wouldn't I be?" Bertrande snapped uncharacteristically. " I want to help and the one person I expected…no _wanted_ to be on my side…isn't…" The spite drained from her voice as she sighed. As Jo caught her eye she saw tears building there. Jo frowned slightly and took a deep breath, trying to figure out what to say.  
" You _really_ want to do this, don't you…?" Jo said eventually, Betrande nodded.  
" But Mark…" Bertrande began before Jo cut her off.  
" Mark is just worried about you…"  
" Well he shouldn't be," Bertrande retorted but with no where near as much bite as she had wanted.  
" Whether he should or shouldn't doesn't matter…'cos he is and, if anything, that fact should give you all the confidence you need…" Jo smiled slightly as a similar expression began to cover the face before her. " I mean think about it, Guillaume would never urge me to do _half_ the things I do…" She grinned. " But letting me know how much he worries and is against me doing them, is the next best thing.  
There was a pause where the two of them turned back to face the group behind them. Guillaume was mid-discussion with Mark but, almost as if they could sense someone watching them, they stopped and looked back. Mark's face was no longer wearing a frown, but a kind of bewildered, hopeful smile. Bertrande's smile grew.  
" Thanks Jo," she muttered before walking resolutely back over and, before Mark could say or do anything, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. Jo wandered back over nonchalantly where Guillaume put an arm around her shoulders.  
" So what did you say to her…?" He asked quietly as they watched Bertrande and Mark separate and talk quietly with each other.  
" Nothing much…" Jo sighed leaning against him, her own arm going around his waist. " Just that, if anything, Mark's worrying should prove just how much he _cares_, rather than how much he doesn't!"  
" Smart," Guillaume said gently.  
" And what about you? What did you say to him, to Mark?" Jo glanced up into his face.  
" Oh…nothing much…" Guillaume repeated, a twinkle in his dark eyes. " Just that if Bertrande wants to do this, and if she's anything like I know her to be, then he's going to have a hard time convincing her to change her mind…she's strong willed that one…" He smiled. "…Like someone else I know!" He kissed Jo's forehead quickly. " And I basically told him he should be proud of her and supportive…and besides, with girls like that, arguing's fairly pointless!" He smirked as Jo gasped in fake shock.  
" Oh really…?" She quirked an eyebrow, daring him to try and argue.  
" Yes, really!" He grinned again before leaning over and kissing her.  
" Erm…not to break anything up…" Lucy's voice said after a moment or two, causing Jo and Guillaume, as well as, Mark and Bertrande to separate quickly. " …But shouldn't we get on with this crystal business, that is…" She stole a glance at Mark and Bertrande. "…That is if we have reached a decision…?" Lucy grinned as Bertrande nodded vigorously.  
" Right then!" Rosie clapped her hands together eagerly. " I guess I should take you through some of the basics of horse riding then!"  
" I guess so too!" Bertrande smiled as Rosie launched into a quick, but highly informative speech about riding horses.

" You ready for this…?" Jenny asked tentatively.  
" Uh huh…" was all Bertrande would manage to reply.  
" Well then…" Mark started confidently before realising he had no idea what to say.  
" I reckon it'd be best if we all waited back here…" Simon said after a moment's pause.  
" Yeah, don't want to worry them more then we have to," Martin agreed, jerking his head towards the horses before them. The white unicorn was stood, grazing calmly, in the centre of the herd.  
" Well, good luck…!" Jo hugged Bertrande quickly before stepping back and letting the others wish Bertrande the best for this latest challenge. Martin and Guillaume both hugged their childhood friend tightly, whispering words of encouragement in French that the others didn't quite catch, before letting Mark forward.  
" You take care out there…" He sighed, pulling her into a tight hug.  
" I will," She winked up at him before kissing him quickly, turning around, taking a _very_ deep breath and heading towards the horses.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Amos mumbled as they watched Bertrande chase after a horse. She'd been trying to get close enough to it to mount it but every time she did, it ran off. It had done it at least seven times in the last ten minutes or so and Bertrande was looking increasingly harassed about the whole thing.  
" Is there nothing you can do to help her…?" Martin asked Jo, groaning as the horse slipped past Bertrande again.  
" I don't know," Jo admitted, if only she'd stop worrying and just concentrate on the horse I might be able to…" Jo frowned, narrowing her eyes on Bertrande and trying to focus her mind on both her and the horse.  
What happened next came as something of a blur to those watching and a huge surprise to Bertrande. The horse ran past her again and Bertrande managed to reach out with her hand somehow grab hold of the beast's neck, using it's momentum she swung herself up onto its back and the next thing anyone knew, she was riding it.  
However, two things went wrong almost as soon as Bertrande jumped onto the horse's back. Firstly, it reared up on its hind legs and broke into the fastest gallop any of them had seen and secondly, Bertrande began screaming at the top of her lungs, frightening her horse even more and sending the other hundred or so other animals into something of a frenzy. The rest of the friends, who had gathered on a nearby grassy bank to watch how she got on had to run for cover as a group of about twenty horses came running straight at them.  
" Who's _terrific_ idea _was_ this anyway?" Simon shrieked, jumping behind a rock as two horses sailed over his head.  
" _Yours_!" Came the resounding and high pitched response from the others.  
" Well, someone should have thought of another one then, shouldn't they!" He yelled back as another horse leapt over his hiding place.  
All of a sudden Billabong let out a roar the like of which even Lina had never heard before when what looked like a larger than normal shire horse stepped on his tail as it charged past, before shooting under a bush and curled up there, obviously with no intention of moving until the large, noisy animals had stopped running around like lunatics.  
Whilst all of this was going on, Bertrande was struggling to regain control of the dark brown horse she was riding. Her hands were tightly wrapped in its mane, as Rosie had instructed, but she was still being flung every which way by the animal who clearly didn't want her there. She was never going to get anywhere while this was going on, she threw a quick glance at the Unicorn who was still grazing, apparently unaffected by the stampede surrounding it. With a determined look on her face, she drove her heels into the sides of the horse and pulled back with her hands.  
" Oh will you _please_ pack it _in_!" She yelled at it. To her complete surprise, the horse stopped moving and stood patiently, twitching its tail, apparently waiting for her next command. Raising an eyebrow suspiciously, she gently kicked her heels again and the horse began to move slowly towards the Unicorn. Glancing back over her shoulder, the stampede was still raging around the others and Bertrande winced as she saw Mark leap out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed by three enormous black stallions. " Well, no use just watching, you might as well make the best of this situation…" Bertrande told herself, nudging the horse's sides again and steering it closer towards the Unicorn. As she approached the sheer beauty of the creature astounded her once again. Its coat was even purer and paler than it had seemed before and its horn almost shone and sparkled as much as the crystal hanging from it. Once she was little more than a couple of yards away, Bertrande stopped her horse and jumped off it as smoothly as she could. The horse whinnied quietly before trotting away and beginning to eat some grass. The Unicorn looked up briefly, as her feet hit the ground but, clearly unperturbed by her presence, it too continued to nibble at the lush blades beneath it. Bertrande took a long, slow, deep and steadying breath. The Unicorn obviously wasn't _that_ concerned about her being there and she took that as a good sign, but even so she could not ignore the sharp, pointed horn and shudder to think the damage that it could do, should she somehow manage to anger the animal.  
Bertrande edged closer and closer to the Unicorn, licking her lips every few seconds it seemed. Her arms hold up in front of her, hands flexing in and out as the animal got nearer. She halted an arm's length from the creature when it slowly raised its beautiful head once more and focused its large eyes on her, almost questioningly. Bertrande swallowed. There was something in its gaze that made her stop dead in her tracks. She knew it was just and animal but there was something there that was almost human. A look she'd only ever seen before in the eyes of Billabong. She couldn't just _take_ the crystal. She just couldn't. Bertrande frowned and bit her lip, while she and the Unicorn simply looked at each other. Then an idea came to her. She glanced back towards where she had come from. The other horses seemed to be calming down but her friends were obviously still staying out of the way, just in case. They were far too far away to hear if this backfired on her surely, Bertrande reasoned as she turned back to the Unicorn and tried out her idea.  
" …Hello…?" Bertrande asked very uncertainly. There was a silence. The Unicorn merely looked at her and snorted slightly.  
" Good one Bertrande," groaned Bertrande, covering her face with her hands and sighing. " Like it was really going to work…"  
" Like what was going to work…?" A voice asked gently. Bertrande snatched her hands away from her face and looked questioningly at the Unicorn, which was still stood motionless, staring at her.  
" Did…" Bertrande frowned. This was going to sound really stupid. " Did you just say something…?" She asked the Unicorn.  
There was another silence. Bertrande was about to look around to find out who it had been when…  
" Of course I did, who else did you expect,"  
Bertrande snapped her gaze back to the Unicorn, one pale eyebrow raised slightly.  
" I…I don't know…" She admitted.  
" Well then…why ask such a pointless question," replied the Unicorn with what Bertrande could have sworn was a smirk, if she hadn't been talking to a Unicorn at any rate.  
" I don't know…"  
" Humans…" The Unicorn sighed, with a very clear and obvious roll of its large eyes. " So what brings you to the plains…we haven't seen your kind since the great war…"  
" The Great War?" Bertrande frowned momentarily. " Oh, you mean Incubus' invasion…"  
" If its war you seek, you can carry on your journey…you'll find no enemies here…" The Unicorn said plainly.  
" No, no, don't misunderstand me…I'm not here to fight…"  
" But you are here to take something…are you not…?" The Unicorn's voice became slightly softer.  
" Yes, yes I am," Bertrande replied, focusing her eyes on those of the Unicorn.  
" Then why not just take it," Lowering its head slightly, the crystal slid down its horn slightly, towards Bertrande.  
" Because…"  
" Because what?"  
" Because…it's not mine to take…"  
" Nor is it mine to give," Came the softly spoken response.  
" But it is in your care, you have been given the task of guarding it…and so I can only take it, should you offer it to me…" Bertrande replied after a moment or two's thought.  
" And just as my task is guarding it," The Unicorn replied, tipping its head further, " Yours, I believe, it to retrieve it…" The crystal piece slid right down to the very end of the Unicorn's horn, merely inches from Bertrande's hands.  
" But how do you…?" Bertrande began to ask but stopped as she felt the weight of the crystal drop into her hands.  
" You wouldn't have spoken to me at all if all you wanted was the crystal. I am certain from the look in your eyes that you have a much higher purpose for it than common theft…plus, if that seal of yours is anything to go by, I believe I can hazard a guess as to who you are…" The Unicorn lifted its head once again and Bertrande smiled. " I think I could probably guess your identity in twelve guesses or so…"  
" I believe you could!" Bertrande smiled before reaching out tentatively to stroke the animal's head.  
" No be off with you, dark forces are prowling these lands and there are few hiding places out on the plains…" The Unicorn neighed darkly after a moment or two. " May the spirit of Epona guide you on your quest and make you fleet of foot in the face of danger!" With that the Unicorn reared up onto its back legs and vanished.  
Bertrande stood in stunned silence for what felt like hours, before she felt someone tap on her shoulder.  
" Did you get it?" Mark's eager face was looking down into hers.  
" Yes, I got it!" She grinned, showing him the crystal and hugging him tightly.  
The other friends congratulated her heartily and helped her wrap up this latest chunk of the crystal and put it in her pack.  
" We should keep moving," Jo said eventually. " It's pretty open out here…who knows who may be watching…"  
" That's funny, that's almost exactly what the Unicorn said," Bertrande exclaimed, shouldering her pack. The others turned and stared at her, slightly bemused, slightly worried.  
" You what?" Jenny enquired.  
" You're saying that Unicorn spoke to you…?" Rosie frowned slightly.  
Bertrande glanced around at the dubious faces surrounding her, it would probably be best to keep it to herself anyway. She grinned. " Nah, of course not…"  
" That's alright then," Mark smiled, putting an arm around her shoulders. " You had us worried then, that's the kind of mad stuff Jo usually comes out with…!" He laughed before ducking the punch Jo aimed at his stomach.  
" Yeah alright," Jo frowned as the other laughed amongst themselves. " Very funny, ha, ha…!" With that she started walking, with the others following close behind.  
They walked for the rest of the day almost continuously, they weren't really sure of their bearing until the sunset behind them and they figured they must be heading in an Easterly direction.  
The air grew colder as the sky darkened and the first of the stars pierced the night sky.  
" Are we nearly there yet?" whined Simon, in what was a very passable imitation of a small child.  
" Seeing as I have no idea where '_there_' is…I've no idea Simon," Jo replied, in what was a very very passable imitation of an annoyed parent.  
" Is it time to rest yet?" Amos chipped in. " We've been walking for…well…" He wanted to say years, but was certain Jo would have no qualms about slapping him for it so he settled for. " …a really long time…!"  
" Soon," came the undefining but what was doubtlessly the very final response from Jo on the matter.  
" What's that…?" Amos muttered, glancing somewhere ahead of them.  
" What's what?" Marius frowned, standing alongside him, staring hard into the gloom.  
" I thought I saw some lights over there," Amos gestured vaguely in front of them both.  
" Yeah, looks like a house…" Marius squinted into the darkness.  
" Or maybe even a few houses…" Lucy agreed.  
" Well then, looks like we've found 'there'!" Jenny grinned.  
" But we still don't know what 'there' actually is…" Glyndwr said darkly.  
" Shall we check it out…?" Amos asked, a broad smile on his face.  
" Yeah, why not," Jo grinned back, trying to ignore the niggling feeling that the East was where Obsequious was and that was where they were headed. Anyway, he wasn't going to be hiding out in a village in the middle of no where…was he?  
" Is it too far for you Guillaume…?" Martin chuckled as Guillaume stumbled over his own foot whilst walking. " Do you need someone to hold your hand…?"  
" Shut it Martin," Guillaume grumbled angrily.  
" Ignore him Martin," Jo sighed appeasingly, taking Guillaume's hand in her own. " I'm sure he doesn't mean anything by it…"  
" Don't worry about it, Jo. He's probably just touchy 'cos he's tired," Martin suggested with a wicked smirk.  
" _Who_'s touchy?" Came the sharp and instantaneous reply from Guillaume.  
" Point proven," Martin scoffed, dodging the not entirely playful punch that came his way from his fellow Artigatian as they started to head for the lights getting closer in the distance.  
The village turned out to be fairly large, larger than Artigat had been. The buildings looked similar to those that Guillaume, Martin and Bertrande had lived in, lots of wooden framed buildings. The houses and buildings were built in a large square which opened onto a small green and, what they assumed must be, a market place. There were lights in most of the windows and every so often they would hear snatches of voices on the breeze.  
" Now just remember...we don't where this place is and if it's with us or with Ob..." Jo couldn't bring herself to say his name. " ...With us or not so just try to act _normally_..." Jo hissed as they started to head into the village.  
" Says the witch!" Amos and Simon smirked in unison before being nudged by the others.  
" Just don't talk about Vaniria or Aesina or crystals or…or well about _anything_ more than you have to," Jo frowned back at them. " I promise not to curse anyone or set anything on fire if you two promise to keep your big mouths shut!"  
" No offence Jo," Lucy said, jumping slightly as a door slammed in a nearby house. " But if we're going to try and blend in here then I think the long black cloaks and strange accents may be a bit of a give away,"  
" Even so," Phillipe's voice was firm. " That's no reason to make it even more obvious that we have no idea where we are..."  
" And do me a favour...don't say the 'W-word' while we're here..." Jo added in a more tentative voice.  
" Wasn't planning on announcing it to the first person we bumped into but...why...?" Marius pulled his cloak tighter around himself.  
" Rowan trees..." Jo murmured.  
" Huh?" came the unanimous and confused response from the others.  
" There were rowan trees planted around the edge of the village...recently planted too by the looks of them...and traditionally they're planted to ward off witches..." Jo stopped walking, as did everyone else, and started to explain.  
" Well it _obviously_ doesn't work..." Simon's voice had the slightest tone of mockery in it.  
" Maybe not, but it doesn't change the fact that they may have been planted with that idea in mind...meaning the people who live here will probably react in a somewhat _'Artigatian'_ way if they find out what I am..." Jo frowned at him. Martin, Bertrande and Guillaume especially, shifted guiltily.  
" But what if they weren't planted to keep _you_, or witches in general out...?" Mark suggested. "What if they were planted to keep out another kind of dark magic...or someone else altogether…"  
" That's what I'm hoping they're there for," Jo sighed. " But we can't afford not to be too careful...at all..."  
At that moment the door to a nearby building was flung open and the sounds of laughter and music filled the air, as two men staggered out of the door and disappeared off into the night. Glancing up the friends saw a faded wooden sign hanging above the door,  
" 'L'Asile D'Étudiants'" murmured Amos as the read what was written there.  
" The Student's Haven…" Bertrande smiled.  
" Sounds good to me!" Mark grinned back.  
The friends walked into the tavern and almost as soon as the large oak door creaked shut behind them, they regretted it.  
As they had entered the atmosphere was noisy, almost rowdy, with people shouting, laughing and whispering happily amongst themselves. In a distant corner, hidden by the crowd around the bar, someone was playing a fairly jolly tune on what sounded like a violin.  
Now, however, it was silent. It was awkward and there wasn't a single pair of eyes that was not fixed on the group, hovering nervously in the doorway.  
" Why do I fell like I've just walked into a western…?" Mark hissed out of the corner of his mouth.  
" Tell me about it…" came the equally quiet response from Lucy.  
Jo smiled as warmly as she could and stepped forwards.  
" Good evening…" She said as genially as she could manage, whilst trying to ignore the building sense of nervousness building inside her.  
The tavern's patrons merely continued to stare.  
Jo stepped back to join the others with a worried swallow. " Anyone else got any bright ideas…?" She said through teeth clenched into a broad smile.  
The rest of the group smiled at the people staring suspiciously at them all.  
" Tirons-nous d'ici, ce troquet est vraiment trop craignons," Martin whispered nervously to Phillipe after a moment or two of uncomfortable silence had passed.  
" Oi! You there!" A simply enormous man, who had been leaning next to the fire place when they entered, crossed the room towards them and the friends shrank back as he drew nearer with one huge fist outstretched and what seemed to be an even bigger finger pointing towards Martin. "Would you mind telling me just what is so _dodgy_ in here…?" He demanded as Martin looked up at him gobsmacked.  
" How did you…?" He started before Guillaume snorted loudly in his ear.  
" The flipping sign outside was in _French_ you idiot…what on earth made you think no one would understand you in here?" To make his point completely clear Guillaume hit Martin on the back of the head.  
" Parlez-vous français?" Jo asked hesitantly.  
" Oui," came the short, sharp response from the giant of a man stood before them.  
" Ah…bien," Jo grinned weakly, " Et…er…parlez-vous anglais?"  
There was a pause.  
" Of course we do," came another man's voice from near the bar. A much smaller man wove his way through the people to stand before them. He looked to be in his fifties, grey hair grew rather haphazardly all over his head and was a variety of lengths. His eyes were pale blue although Jo didn't doubt they had probably faded with age. He was short and round around his middle. He wore a long, stained apron over his tunic and judging by the cloth in his hands, he was most likely the landlord. " We're just a little cautious who we speak it to…if you gets my meaning…" He regarded each of them. Not cautiously, not suspiciously, just curiously. " Would I be out of place to ask where you folks have travelled from…?" He eyed their cloaks with interest and then he shifted his gaze to Jo's face and frowned slightly. " Have we met before young lady…?"  
The friends hesitated and glanced at Jo.  
" No, we haven't met and no, you would not be out of place," Jo smiled, " But we are just as cautious as yourselves…and I trust you get my meaning…" She winked and the whole group was relieved when the old man burst out into laughter.  
" Wise, very wise," He admitted after a moment or two. " I am Pierre and you're more than welcome here…?" He raised a fuzzy white eyebrow obviously wanting her name at least.  
" Jo," she answered. " I'm Jo, this is Rosie, those two are Lucy and Jenny, he's Mark…and that's…" Jo pointed to each one in turn but halted when Pierre's mouth dropped open.  
" But you…you can't be…" He stammered, shaking his aging head from side to side. " Those names…they're the names of…the names of the…"  
Jo, realising he needed helping out of this situation and feeling almost certain that he, and the patrons of his tavern were no immediate threat, opened her cloak to reveal her seal. 'L'Étoiles' shone in the lamp light and an audible gasp ran around the tavern.  
" We have journeyed from Vaniria…on a quest…" Jo didn't need to finish. The friends were swamped in a mass of people hugging them and shaking their hands.  
" We've been waiting so long, I just knew you'd come!" A ruddy faced woman beamed as she pumped Guillaume's arm up and down.  
" You're certainly a welcome sight for very sore eyes," cackled a very little old lady after hugging Phillipe's waist with surprising vigour.  
" How long are you staying with us?"  
" Are you journeying onto the Swamplands now?"  
" When will you face Obsequious?"  
The questions came ten to the dozen to the very amazed friends who received all the compliments and embraces with smiles.  
" We won't be heading for the Swamps just yet," Jo answered once most of the people had returned to their seats and places leaning against the walls and the bar. " We have a few things to sort out first…" She grinned slightly. " But we will face him soon enough I assure you."  
" What about Aesina…?" A voice asked from the back of the tavern.  
" Er…what about it…?" Jo frowned slightly.  
" When can we go back?" Another voice called out.  
" 'Go back'?" Rosie exclaimed with wide eyes.  
" When can we go home…?" Pierre asked urgently, his pale blue eyes moving from one face to the next, obviously desperate for an answer. Glancing around the tavern all the eyes were once again upon the friends still stood in the doorway, but they weren't staring this time. They were imploring.  
" You mean…you mean, you lived there…?" Jo asked, not even sure how the words were coming out of her mouth such was her astonishment.  
" Of course we did," bellowed the large man who had threatened Martin upon their arrival. " Where did you think we came from…?" He laughed heartily, joined by most of the people around him.  
" You mean…" Aradia stepped forwards, her lilac eyes wide and sparkling with excitement. " You mean you are the people who escaped on the day of the siege…?"  
Pierre nodded.  
" Yes we are, we fled and set up a new village here, away from Incubus. We thought we'd only be here a short while though," He added sadly then smiled. " But I somehow don't think we'll be here for very much longer…" He smirked.  
" No, you won't," Aradia agreed, a warm smile on her face.  
" That leaves another question though," Pierre replied, " How long can we have the pleasure of your company…your highness?" He bowed slightly at Aradia, whose mouth fell open in surprise. " No need to look so shocked my dear," He reached out and closed her mouth gently. " I knew you as a child, used to run the tavern in the old square…"  
" 'The Sword and Stone'?" Jo and Aradia exclaimed in unison before throwing each other a confused glance. One mirrored by most of the friends behind them.  
" That's the one!" Pierre replied with another broad smile. " So, how long will you be staying…a week…a fortnight?"  
" Just tonight I fear," Jo answered sadly, trying to ignore the unhappy groan from the patrons and Pierre. " We must be on our way soon, we are not the only ones looking for what we seek," There was a serious edge to her voice. " Besides we have no money, no means of paying you anything and as such I could not let us trespass on your hospitality any longer than that…if you could let us sleep down here in your tavern when you close for the night we would be most…"  
" Don't be dense lass," Pierre snorted, cutting Jo off. " I won't hear talk of such nonsense…" Pierre grinned toothily at them all. " There are rooms aplenty here, the beds are warm and the food is good," He met Jo's hesitant gaze. " I insist you be my guests…even if it is just for tonight…"  
Jo glanced around at the others. Their eyes had pretty much glazed over hungrily at the mention of the food so she knew their preference for their next decision. Besides, she was just as tired and hungry as they. Why not have a good night's rest with some decent food, she didn't sense any impending danger and even if it did show up, she was pretty certain she would be able to deal with it.  
" If you insist, who are we to resist!" Jo smiled back.  
" Fabuleux!" Pierre exclaimed, clapping his large hands together joyfully. " Marie, put on some soup for our guests, Henri, take their bags upstairs…and you," He gestured to Jo and the others, " Follow me to the bar and I will fix you all a flagon of our finest ale!" " Nice one!" Mark beamed following their host. Soon the tavern was once again filled with happy chatter and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming and, more importantly to the friends, safe. The locals questioned them all eagerly on their journey so far, about what they thought of Obsequious and where they had all come from in the first place. They were served with huge steaming bowls of thick vegetable soup and large pieces of what was undoubtedly home cooked bread, still warm and without doubt the best thing they had eaten since leaving the castle at Vaniria. They drained their bowls within minutes and Pierre was quick to refill them and drop more of the delicious bread onto their plates. All with another large flagon of ale.  
After a while, the tavern emptied a little as wives dragged their husbands home and old men were woken up from their beer induced slumbers to be ushered out of the door.  
The five friends sat at a table near the window chatting lazily and happily about everything and nothing. It had been a long _long_ time since they had sat like this.  
" What 'cho thinking about down there…?" Mark mumbled after a pause in the conversation. He had moved onto Pierre's mead and his cheeks were rather pink.  
" Ah, nothing much," Jo replied, wrapping her hands around what she thought was her fourth flagon of ale. But it might have been her fifth.  
" Rubbish," Rosie giggled then hiccoughed. Looking angrily at her glass of wine as if it was the sole culprit. " You're _always_ thinking, you are,"  
Jo grinned at her guiltily.  
" Alright then…Julia…I was thinking about Julia…" Jo muttered, sipping from the flagon in front of her. " I'm sure that her name means something and I…I just can't place it…"  
" What do you mean '_it means something_'…?" Rosie quirked an eyebrow as she took a mouthful of her wine.  
" Well, Aradia is the name of a Goddess, often related with magical power and so on…Eos and Aurora are both related to the sun, which as we know rules over the sky…even Mithras was a Roman God, also of the sun as far as I remember…I just can't help but think that Julia's name would have had a meaning of it's own…"  
" Doesn't it come from another name…?" Lucy mumbled over to them.  
" How do you mean…?" Jenny frowned.  
" Well, like Jo is short for Joanne which is the feminine form of John isn't it…" Lucy explained.  
" Yeah," Jo admitted, " It's a form of Joan I think…"  
" Like Joan of Arc!" Mark offered with a grin. " Who as we all know was a fifteenth-century peasant girl from France who, after claiming she heard messages from God, was given leadership of the French army. She defeated the English in the battle of Orleans but was eventually captured and burned at the stake…if I'm not mistaken…" Mark took a large gulp from his mead and grinned at them all once again.  
" How do you _know_ all this stuff…?" Rosie asked completely astounded.  
" Well, I know you think Jo's the _only_ one who reads anything but you'd be surprised to know of the things I've picked up over the years!" He winked.  
" Alright then, smart arse," Jo smirked over at him. " What have you picked up over the years about the name Julia?"  
" To the best of my knowledge," Mark began knowledgably, " It comes from Julius originally which comes from something in latin that means something about beards…or hair, I think…" Mark shrugged before he continued. " A name used by at least one Pope and, of course, Emperor Gaius Julius Ceasar, skillful military leader who was…"  
" Stabbed…in the back," Jo finished quietly.  
" Nice," Lucy eventually managed to say after a few moments silence.  
" Well…I know what my name means…" Lucy admitted.  
" And…?" Rosie nudged her friend in the side. " You can start saying something like that and not finish it…!"  
" Well, it's the feminine form of Lucius…" Lucy shrugged with another smile. " And it's not like we know any of them, now is it?"  
" True…well, mine comes from Marcus which is believed to come from Mars I think…you know, Roman God of War," Mark held his chin high and proudly.  
" They got that one wrong then didn't they!" Jenny giggled.  
" I think mine's pretty obvious…" Rosie sighed.  
" What about yours then Jenny…?" Mark enquired.  
" Short for Jennifer which comes from Guinevere, I think." Jenny explained.  
" And what about that lot…?" Jo nodded at the rest of the group, who were dotted all over the tavern, talking amongst themselves and the locals.  
" Well, I'm pretty sure Phillipe is the French form of Philip," Lucy smirked.  
" Oh well done you!" Jo replied acidly. " And I suppose you'll try to tell us all that Martin, Bertrande, Marius and Guillaume all have French roots too…?"  
" Not sure about Martin actually…" Lucy admitted. " I think that name's used a lot in English too…"  
" He's another one derived from Mars I think…" Mark added. " As is Marius, if I'm not mistaken!"  
" And Simon…?" Jo nodded at the blonde fighter who was deep in conversation with Lina and Amos.  
" He was an apostle wasn't he?" Rosie asked demurely before ducking the plate that Jo sent flying at her head.  
" I'm pretty sure it has something to do with listening…" Mark mused quietly.  
" How about Amos then…?" Jenny rested her chin on her hand.  
" It means to carry…its another Hebrew name, like Simon…" Jo said, " There's the book of Amos in the bible…" She said by way of explanation.  
" What about Lina…?" Lucy swallowed some of her mead.  
" I think," Jo grinned, " It means something like 'Palm Tree' in Arabic!"  
A ripple of laughter ran around the group.  
" What you guys talking about?" Amos asked as he, Simon and Aradia sat down with them.  
" You, actually!" Jo grinned then hiccoughed.  
" While we're on the subject of names…what about Aitor…?" Jenny asked tentatively.  
" It's a Basque name, meaning 'good fathers' I think," Jo replied after a moments thought.  
" And Obsequious…?" Mark lowered his voice so that the locals didn't hear.  
" Well _I've_ never heard it used as a name before so…I assume it means all the things associated with that word…" Lucy wrinkled her nose. " Insincere, sycophantic, servile…"  
" So he's a bootlicker then…" Rosie smirked.  
" Pretty much!" Lucy grinned.  
" Just like his father…" Aradia all but spat, " _Incubus_…he was a demon who used to lie on people while they slept and…well…" The princess' cheeks flushed slightly before she coughed delicately and continued, " Well, it's someone who depresses or worries others…"  
" But surely…someone like that can't be much of a challenge…can they…?" Simon toyed with his dagger idly. " If they're, what was it, _servile_…? They're hardly going to be one for putting up a fight now are they…?"  
" You never know," admitted Lucy with a sigh. " People who are obsequious in nature are often devoted to something…"  
" And it's always those who are obsessed that are the problem!" Amos added. " You can't reason with someone who is blind to the consequences of their actions…"  
A thoughtful pause followed.  
" And what about that other guy Aradia mentioned…that William…?" Mark frowned as he changed the subject.  
" I know William means something do with protection, which if he was a soldier would be right," Jenny explained.  
" Well I'm sure William rings a bell in my mind somewhere for another reason…but I just can't place it…" Jo frowned downing the rest of her drink. " I mean, it's not like I know anyone called William…oh well, no doubt it'll all make sense at some point…" With that Jo wandered over to the bar to refill her flagon.  
" You know, thinking about it…" Lucy hissed to the others quietly. " There seem to be a few similarities between Jo and Joan…"  
" You reckon…?" Jenny mused. " Then again I suppose there is the blinding similarity of leadership in them both…and then that shared problem with burning and stakes!" She allowed a small smile to creep onto her face.  
" Having said that, if Julia had as many similarities with Julius then she wasn't very lucky either was she…?" Mark ran his finger around the lip of his own tankard. " Great potential as a leader sure…but that stabbing in the back thing…" The four of them shuddered involuntarily. " Not good…not good at all…"  
Jo took her latest flagon of ale and went to sit next to the fireplace. She was feeling slightly fuzzy headed and wasn't _entirely_ sure why she kept wanting to laugh at really stupid things, like the dog sat placidly by the bar. It wasn't doing anything even remotely amusing, to be honest it wasn't doing anything at all. However in her head, it was one of the funniest things she'd ever seen! She wanted a few minutes by herself just to try and gather her thoughts a little. She had just sat down and taken a swig of her ale when,  
" Can I talk to you about something…?" Jo looked up to see Aradia, looking decidedly edgy and nervous, a very unusual look for the normally over confident Princess.  
" Sure," Jo sighed with what she hoped was a smile, shifting further along the bench to allow the Royal to sit next to her. " So, what's up?"  
The Princess sighed heavily, taking a long piece of her auburn hair in her hands and twisting it absent mindedly. Jo frowned slightly and took another drink of her ale.  
" Are you alright Aradia?" Jo asked deciding somewhere in her foggy mind that speaking plainly was her best, and to be honest her only, plan.  
" I don't know, I thought I was…" Aradia sighed again.  
" Well, what's changed then?" Jo pressed. " What's happened to make you feel-"  
" Nothing!" Aradia exclaimed angrily, dropping the piece of hair and standing rather violently causing a few people to turn and stare briefly. " That's the problem…!"  
Jo looked at the person stood before her, arms folded, brow furrowed with a mixture of confusion and awe.  
" Aradia," Jo stood up beside her and gently touched her arm. " I know we haven't exactly been the best of friends since the quest started but I did promise Alvejan, all those weeks ago that I'd look after you," She smiled slightly. " So I'll listen to whatever it is you have to say…"  
" Thanks Jo, but that's exactly the problem."  
" Ok….I'm confused," Jo's own brow furrowed.  
" I don't what it is I'm trying to say!" exclaimed Aradia again.  
" Then listening's going to prove harder than I had formerly anticipated!" Jo groaned, half under her breath, as she sat back down on the bench. " Maybe then, we should try this conversation again sometime…when you actually _know_ what it is you want to say…"  
Aradia narrowed her eyes and tipped her head t one side slightly.  
" Don't you pout at me, I'm am unaffected by it's powers, your highness!" Jo quirked an eyebrow at Aradia, clearly unphased.  
" _Don't_ call me that! That's what _he_ keeps calling me!" Aradia said slowly and through tightly clenched teeth.  
" _He_…?" Jo repeated. " Who's '_he_'?" She asked before realisation hit her hard in the face. " Is…is this _Glyndwr_ we're talking about here…?" Jo asked cautiously.  
" Well you didn't think it was Billabong did you?" Aradia countered, before colouring slightly and continuing in a much lower voice. " I mean…it might be…"  
"…I see…" Jo smiled. " What has our Meandering friend done now…or not done as is apparently the case…?"  
" This is between you and me…_just_ you and me…?" Aradia asked carefully, sitting back down alongside Jo.  
" I swear," Jo replied, laying a hand over her heart for effect.  
" Well, then…" Aradia swallowed a few times while she tried to organise her thoughts into some kind of order that would make sense to someone who hadn't been inside her head. Having said that, she didn't understand it all herself so explaining it was going to be much harder than she wanted it to be. " It all started a while back…" Aradia proceeded to tell Jo about all the confusing things Glyndwr had done on the quest so far, from his mocking her one minute to trying to help her the next and finishing with the 'crown' of roses he'd made for her in Crystallia, she kept the fact that she'd kept one of the roses pressed in her pack to herself, Jo didn't need to know everything after all. Jo sat and listened attentively throughout, somehow managing to hold back the smirk that was longing to break out on her face.  
" There's definitely something there," Jo said at the end of it all, with a deep breath and an even deeper swallow from her flagon.  
" What do you mean? '_Definitely something there_'?" Aradia demanded.  
" Oh come on," Jo rolled her eyes. " If you two were at Primary School together he'd be pulling your hair and you'd be whinging about him to your friends….oh hang, that's what you are doing…" Jo frowned for a second before dismissing the problem.  
" You what?" Aradia had one eyebrow firmly raised above the other.  
" Doesn't matter," Jo waved her comment aside. " The point I'm trying to make is that it's pretty obvious that you fancy each other…" Jo gasped slightly, she hadn't meant it to come out as bluntly as that. Judging from Aradia's equalled shocked face, neither had she.  
" I beg your pardon…" Aradia finally managed to say in a worryingly quiet voice.  
" I said…what I meant to say was…the thing is…" Jo's head had grown even fuzzier in the last few minutes. " The rest of us have noticed….that you and Glyndwr…I mean…Glyndwr and you…"  
" Are you two ogling him too?" A rather giddy voice broke through Jo and Aradia's rather awkward conversation. They both looked up to see two girls grinning at them. One with flame coloured hair, the other a pale blonde. The red head had helped Pierre with their meal earlier and the blonde girl they assumed must be a friend of hers.  
" Er…sorry…?" Jo shook her head a couple of times hoping it would help the room from swaying slightly, although she wasn't a hundred percent sure that it wasn't her that was swaying, although why she would be swaying was beyond her understanding.  
" Not that we blame you, do we?" The red head grinned, nudging the blonde as she moved past then to sit by the fire.  
" Oh no…" agreed the blonde shoving Aradia to the side rather indelicately to sit beside her.  
" What…who are you talking about…?" Aradia asked as politely as she could manage, whilst trying to pull her hair free from where the blonde girl had trapped it between the wall and her back as she'd sat down with them.  
" The tall, dark, handsome stranger in the corner of course…" sighed the red-head, holding her hands in front of the flames to warm them. Her large eyes firmly fixed on Glyndwr.  
" Who…Glyndwr?" Aradia exclaimed.  
" Yeah…" breathed the blonde, resting her elbow on her knee and cushioning her chin in her palm as she joined her red headed friend in staring at the Meander. Jo stifled a laugh and downed some more of her ale while Aradia looked close, well as close as Jo had ever seen her, to hitting someone. Preferably one of the two girls who had gate crashed their conversation if her cold glare was anything to go by.  
" But he's so…so…unrefined…" was the best argument Aradia could come up with and even she didn't think much of it.  
" Maybe…but he's got that whole dark, brooding and mixed up past thing going on…" the blonde countered.  
" Yeah, it's damned attractive," gushed the red head sat by the fire, her bright emerald eyes glowing as she looked at the Meander across the room.  
" It's damned annoying!" Aradia sniped, folding her arms across her chest and shooting a very dark glare at the flame haired girl. Jo snorted in her ale once again and avoided the Princess' gaze. What the hell, Jo thought, if the Princess needed a push in the right direction, she was more than willing to give her a shove.  
" Oh I dunno, Aradia," Jo mused, throwing an evaluative glance at Glyndwr. " The dark, brooding thing is definitely a cliché I must agree. But a man with deep, unresolved issues…and a man as good looking as he is…well, it _is_ pretty irresistible," Jo admitted with a wry grin.  
" I know what you mean," sighed the young blonde. " And it's always the ones who need help…who need…oh, what's the word…?"  
" Bringing back?" Jo suggested with a too innocent expression that didn't falter in the slightest even as Aradia turned her glare in Jo's direction.  
" Yeah," breathed the girls in unison.  
" Oh give me a break," Aradia exclaimed. " You can't be serious?"  
" You mean, you don't find him handsome…?" Asked the astounded blonde.  
" At all…?" echoed the red-head.  
" No," came the slightly too quick response.  
" Well all the more for us then," giggled the blonde as she and the red head stood up and moved away leaving a grumbling Aradia and a smirking Jo.  
" Honestly," Aradia huffed, after a moment or two. " I know these people don't get out into other social circles much but you can't tell me _he's_ the best they've ever seen…?"  
" I think what you really need to ask yourself is, why are you so bothered? Is it because they're common? Or because they're competition…?" Jo winked wickedly and leant back in her chair while the Princess opened and closed her mouth a few times. Jo took a large gulp of her ale, looking over at where Glyndwr and Phillipe were now sat, deep in conversation, swapping stories of their past adventures no doubt. She glanced back at Aradia whose own gaze was also fixed upon the conversation now taking place on the other side of the tavern. Suddenly, her eyes shifted and met Jo's gaze. For a moment there was something, almost familiar, in the helpless look that Aradia shot Jo.  
" I…I don't know what you mean," Aradia replied after a slightly uncomfortable silence, in what was clearly meant to be a nonchalant tone but the look in her eyes made Jo frown slightly. It was almost as if she needed…reassurance?  
_'Reassurance of what though?'_ Jo thought, then a smile curved its way onto her mouth.  
" Come off it Dia," Jo put down her now empty flagon and stood up. " It's the oldest cliché in the book…!"  
" What book?"  
" Nevermind, it's the story line that everyone knows…but that no one would change for the world."  
" Jo, you are making even _less_ sense than usual!"  
" Then let me simplify it for you," Jo smirked. " Every fairy story, every _love_ story…" She grinned to see Aradia almost gasp as she stressed the word ever so slightly. " The plot point is always that of the unattainable resolution, the unreachable goal but the one that makes the most sense for all concerned…" Jo's tone became softer as her eyes drifted to Guillaume, before looking back into the lilac eyes before her. "…The lady and the highwayman…"  
" Jo what are you going on about…?" Aradia half heartedly asked, her own eyes now flitting from Jo's face to something else. _'Someone else!'_ Jo's mind corrected mischievously.  
"…The scoundrel and the innocent angel…"  
" This is childish nonsense Jo," Aradia sighed.  
" The Princess…"  
" I'm not hearing this…"  
" And the Meander?" Jo finished firmly.  
" I don't…I mean…" Aradia stammered as she tried to think of anything to say in opposition to what she'd just heard.  
" The only one who cares about this whole 'class' thing is you…" Jo said as gently as she could, " But don't you see that the only thing _Glyndwr_ cares about…it you…?" With that Jo left Aradia's side and wandered off to refill her flagon, again.  
Aradia sat in stunned silence for a few moments her eyes flying from Jo's departing back to Glyndwr's serious face on the other side of the room. His defined features were highlighted by the flickering lamps and candles that lit up the room while his eyes sparkling mysteriously as he spoke to Phillipe. The longer she looked at him, the more confused she felt. Her mind kept repeating their respective titles over and over, but her not her heart. Her heart was fluttering like a caged bird, she had been experiencing this odd half nervous, half excited feeling more and more frequently of late, and she had to admit it had tended to be whenever Glyndwr was around. To her horror and yet also to a certain extent, delight Glyndwr's eyes shifted from Phillipe's face to her own. Their gazes locked and was shared for what felt like a small eternity but couldn't have been more then minutes, maybe even just moments. Half smiles on both their faces. '_Maybe Jo was right,_' Aradia thought, '_Maybe…_'  
" What you doin' over 'ere all on your lonesome…?" A voice slurred in her ear, forcing Aradia to tear her eyes from the Meander.  
" Not much, Martin, not much," She sighed as Martin sat down rather heavily beside her. " Martin…? Are you drunk?"  
" Almost," Martin grinned at her, swaying rather worryingly.  
" …Great…" Aradia forced a smile while Martin draped an arm around her shoulders and began to tell her, in a voice that smelt of so much alcohol that she couldn't distinguish the different kinds, how much he loved Lucy. She glanced back across the room to find that Glyndwr was now talking to Mark, as Phillipe had gone to the bar for another drink. " Just…great…" She groaned as Martin nearly split some of his drink down her tunic and gritted her teeth. " Tell you what Martin, why don't we go sit with the others…" She helped hoist him to his feet and the pair of them wondered over to a large table next to the window where almost everyone else had gone to sit. Jo was still stood, well she was swaying next to, the bar talking to Pierre and Phillipe was stood at the opposite end. Slowly sipping his wine and watching the scene before him.  
The tavern was full of all kinds of people, labourers and farmers, couples both young and old, those who had little and those who had too much and sat in the corner, around a large table was a group that was, again, a mix of many different peoples. There were students and scholars, warriors and Princesses, some from one world and some from others and yet to look at them, the differences were hard to spot. As he stood and observed them chatting amongst themselves, a faint smile twitched at his mouth. It was true they were all around about the same age, mostly in their early twenties, and yet they all seemed to be old beyond their years. His gaze moved from Mark's thoughtful expression to Lucy's of compassion and then onto Lina's of seriousness. The former policeman snorted to himself, if they were _old_ then what did that make him?  
Then Phillipe's frown grew deeper as he spotted one of the friends was sat, not exactly on their own but not sat with the others, brooding into their ale with a solemn expression. Guillaume was sat at the end of the table, nearest to the door, with the chair slightly turned out so that his back wasn't turned to the others but so that he wasn't facing them either.  
Phillipe wandered over and settled himself in a chair alongside Guillaume's, resting his glass on a nearby table. A moment or two passed and Phillipe couldn't be entirely sure that Guillaume had even noticed him sitting down.  
" So, hows things…?" Phillipe asked gently, his light green eyes glancing at Guillaume before looking around the tavern.  
" Alright," Guillaume sighed, leaning back in his chair. " Could be worse…but they could be better…"  
" And how's Jo…?" Phillipe sipped his wine slowly.  
" Fine, I think," Guillaume's brow creased slightly.  
" Is there anything you want to talk about?" Phillipe asked as conversationally as he could. Guillaume turned to look at him, his dark brown eyes full of a mixture of emotions.  
" I don't know…" Guillaume sighed again running a hand through his growing hair.  
" You love her, don't you," Phillipe said firmly after a moment or two.  
" More than anything," came the immediate response.  
" And she loves you," Phillipe smiled slightly. " So why the long face…?"  
" It's just…I want to…I mean I would like to…" Guillaume looked back into the older face beside him. " You've known Jo a long time haven't you…?" Phillipe nodded his reply, a vague smile breaking onto his face. " Well, what do you think she'd say if I asked her to-"  
Guillaume stopped as on the far side of the tavern Pierre had started to play the violin. He played a fairly bouncy, lively tune that none of the friends knew. At their table however a rather red faced Mark insisted he did and was trying to sing words along with it.  
Jo practically skipped across the tavern, holding her hands out to Guillaume,  
"Dance with me…?" She asked hopefully.  
" I'm quite tired Jo but maybe…" Guillaume started but before he could finish.  
" How about you Glyndwr?" Jo grinned at the Meander, " Come on, come and dance…" Without waiting for a reply Jo took hold of his hand and pulled him up to dance with her.  
" What's wrong with her?" Guillaume's tone was concerned as he whispered to Phillipe.  
" I think, my friend," Phillipe replied smoothly, " Jo may have had one too many…well, judging from her frequent trips to the bar tonight I would probably say about seven too many!"  
Jo and Glyndwr were dancing in the middle of the tavern, a blend of what looked like tango, waltz and country dancing. Jo was laughing loudly and even the usually serious Glyndwr looked to be enjoying himself.  
" That looks like fun," Rosie smiled mischievously, dragging Marius up to dance with her.  
Mark was still trying to sing along.  
Glyndwr and Jo went into a tight spin that stopped directly in front of Aradia's chair.  
" Go on Dia, you dance with him, I'm exhausted," Jo grinned wickedly, planting the Princess' hand in Glyndwr's and moving away leaving them to dance with each other. Jo caught Guillaume's eye and winked, " Watch this…" She grinned, going towards the bar and somehow climbing up onto the bar.  
" Jo, I don't think that's such a good idea…" Phillipe started.  
" Oh stop worrying…Frillipe…" Jo slurred, spinning round to look at him when she slipped in some spilt mead and started to wobble. Within seconds her arms were circling in the air trying in vain to keep her up on the bar but to no avail. She started to fall backwards off of the bar. Guillaume leapt up and caught her in his arms. He looked down and she grinned up at him while some of the others applauded, Mark was _still_ making up words to the song that the violin was no longer playing and Aradia, Glyndwr, Marius and a very giggly Rosie were still dancing. Guillaume sighed as he lowered Jo onto her feet.  
" Ok…I think it's time we called it a night!"

" I'm really really…really very happy…you know…" Jo hiccoughed as Guillaume kicked open the door to her room and carried her through it. " And I'm sure my legs are working just fine thank you…" After she'd almost fallen down the stairs four times and nearly taken him with her on the last two occasions, Guillaume had decided that carrying Jo up to bed was going to be quicker and safer then letting her climb the tavern's uneven oak stairs by herself, as funny as it had been to watch.  
" _You_, are drunk," Guillaume sighed, kicking the door shut behind them, crossing the room and carefully laying Jo down on the bed.  
" And you sir, are _gorgeous_," Jo sat up, hooked an arm around his neck and pulled his head down towards hers. " And I…I love you very much…" She kissed his nose. He guessed that she had probably been aiming for his mouth but he wasn't even going to _try_ and ask her about it right at that moment.  
" And I love you too," He gently unhooked her arm and started to lay her back down. " But you need to sleep now…"  
" But I'm not sleepy," She smiled lazily up at him. Guillaume smirked as his mind took him back to the night in Swallow's barn when she had said practically the same thing.  
" Goodnight Jo," He smiled back, shaking out the previously folded coverlet and laying it over her. He turned to go.  
" Wait…!" Jo suddenly reached out and caught his hand in hers. " Stay…stay with me…" She pulled back on his hand with surprising strength, catching Guillaume by surprise and causing him to half fall, half sit back down on the bed beside her.  
" I…I don't think that would be a good idea…" He replied slowly, trying to avoid her gaze and ignore the fact that all he seemed to want to do was look into her deep green eyes.  
" You're right," Jo's smile broadened as she sat up and leant towards him. " It'd be a great idea!"  
" But Jo…I don't…" He started but she didn't let him finish. She kissed him hard, this time her lips finding his. Sliding one arm around him, pulling him closer against her. He resisted for the briefest of moments, until he felt her hand run through his hair and down his neck. He kissed her back, his own hand wrapping itself in her hair to draw her nearer still. They parted for a moment, their eyes blazing into one another's.  
Neither one speaking, their gazes saying more than any words could convey.  
" Are you…are you sure…?" Guillaume eventually asked, breathlessly. Jo's eyes travelled across his face as a small sweet smile curved her lips.  
" I'm sure…" She kissed his cheek softly, then his forehe

ad and then his lips, as he took her in his arms again kissing her more firmly. She broke away from his mouth, kissing along his jaw and down his neck. Guillaume sighed somewhere deep inside before becoming aware that while he could still feel her warm breath against his skin, Jo's head was now resting rather heavily against his shoulder. Frowning slightly, he gently lifted her head and rolled his eyes. She was asleep, breathing deeply and steadily.  
" Wonderful…" He sighed, laying her back down carefully and laying the coverlet over her once more. He leant over her to kiss her forehead before leaving her to her slumber. As he entered his own room and almost threw himself onto his own bed he smirked in the darkness. Hugging the pillow to him and drifting off to sleep he murmured to himself. " I can't _wait_ to see how she feels in the morning…!"

The room the next morning was silent apart from the sounds of knives and forks against plates, and the odd stifled giggle.  
Jo, Rosie, and Mark were being especially quiet, avoiding the eyes of everyone else and eating very little.  
" Was a good night last night, wasn't it Jo?" Lina asked wickedly.  
" Er…yes….yes it was…" Jo replied rather meekly, sipping her water. She couldn't remember exactly why it had been a good night but her head hurt like hell and her stomach was doing a very good impression of a spin dryer which was a feeling she hadn't felt in a very long time. In fact, the last time she had felt like this had been after Mark and Grantaire's re-opening of the Café Musain and that had been a long, long time ago but Jo could vividly remember her saying at the time she would never drink that much again. '_Well_', she thought with a slight grin, '_it has taken a year or two and several other worlds to break that pledge!_'.  
The red headed girl bustled in with some more sausages and Jo suddenly felt much worse then she had previously. She pushed her chair back rather violently and stood up to see everyone staring at her. " Just…just going to get some fresh air," She said by way of explanation as she dashed to the large oak door and flung herself out into the fresh morning air. Taking a few big lungfuls of it she felt a hundred times better. Breathing deeply she started to walk along but she didn't get very far.  
" Oh! Good morning Pierre," Jo exclaimed after nearly walking straight through him. " Didn't see you there…"  
" I guessed as much! Good morning, and how are we this fine day?" He asked, a knowing look in his eyes that made Jo squirm slightly.  
" Fine, thank you…although I felt I needed some fresh air…I'm fine really…" She replied rather sheepishly.  
" Glad to hear it," The old man's eyes sparkled mischievously and Jo couldn't help but smile.  
" So, where am I?" Jo asked with a grin. " What's the village called?"  
" We called it Vivons," Pierre answered with a broad smile.  
" Vivons," Jo repeated. " It sounds familiar…"  
" It's from the French, nous vivons…" He explained.  
" We live," Jo smiled back. " I like it…"  
They continued to walk through the village, Pierre explaining to her about the different families that had travelled from Aesina and then he stopped as they looked out across the green in the centre of the village. " Though we are getting more and more people arriving as the weeks pass," Pierre explained. " Like them, they arrived late yesterday afternoon…" He gestured to a family sat in the middle of the green. " They'd been travelling for days," The mother and father were sorting out various packs and backs that they had gathered between them while three small children chased each other across the grass.  
" But, they _can't_ be from Aesina then, can they?" Jo asked as they passed the family. Pierre's face fell slightly.  
" No, they arrived from Indalay, it was a small village on the Eastern border…" He replied quietly.  
" What do you mean, '_was_' a village…? What happened?" Jo stopped walking and caught hold of his arm to ensure that he did too.  
" It was attacked by Obsequious' troops, burnt to the ground because it's people refused to acknowledge him as their ruler," Pierre frowned darkly.  
" But why…when?" Jo could not comprehend what she had just been told.  
" Do you really need _me_ to tell you why he did it?" Pierre asked pointedly. " The attack happened a few weeks ago now, merely the latest in a string of seemingly unprovoked attacks in the Borders. The people who live there don't support him, but they don't openly oppose him either not flaunt the rule of Vaniria, or even Aesina for that matter."  
There was a pause while both of them thought hard.  
" He's a madman," Pierre finally spat through gritted teeth.  
" No he's not…he's clever…very clever…" Jo countered quietly.  
" He did it because he knew _we'd_ hear about it, he did it because he knows we'd want to intervene…he did it so that we'd go and challenge him on his own ground," Jo explained. " Give himself the ultimate advantage…"  
" And will you…? Go and challenge him, _now_ I mean?" Pierre's voice was hesitant.  
" Yes," Jo glanced at him. " But not now. Not before we've finished this quest and the crystals are _all_ safely in our hands." Pierre nodded in agreement as they started walking again, now heading back towards the tavern, and Jo added in the privacy of her own mind. " And not before we have no choice _but_ to go!"

Back at the tavern, Jo found the rest of the group had gathered downstairs around the large table.  
Jo slipped into a seat next to Guillaume, taking his hand in hers, to join in the plans for the next day of travelling.  
" So where to next?" Glyndwr asked Phillipe as he carefully withdrew the map from his pocket.  
" Well, it's south across the plains then across the 'Burning Desert' to some caves in the far South," Phillipe continued, "And the eighth crystal's there! Then back up to Aesina for the ninth and then…" He faltered, casting a wary glance at Jo who nodded slowly. " And then the last one…is in the swamplands…"  
An uneasy silence fell over the group.  
" Well then, hadn't we best get going…?" Aradia stood up and asked boldly.  
" Er…yeah…yeah we had…" Jo agreed with shock all over her face. " Come on then, lets get packed and on our way…!"  
The friends quickly packed up their belongings with what was becoming a gradually increasing speed the more frequently they did it, said their thanks and farewells to Pierre and the people of Vivons before setting off across the plains, towards the desert beyond.

" That is a lot of sand!" Jenny breathed as they stood on the edge of the plains looking out over the desert. The plains ended rather dramatically on a cliff, the top of which they were standing upon, with mile after mile after mile of sand stretching out before them. The sand looked to be a warm orange in colour and they could easily see how it had gotten its name. The whole mass seemed to glow like metal that had been in a furness.  
The group carefully climbed down the cliff and one by one dropped down onto the sands below. Billabong put them all to shame as he came down the cliff side rather elegantly and almost stopped to smirk at them all when he reached the bottom and looked down on them from upon a boulder. Lina looked at him, a hand shading her eyes.  
" Come on then, we're waiting for you!"  
Billabong neatly leapt down from the boulder but as soon as his feet touched the sands he let out a roar that both deafened and frightened the group as Billabong leapt back up onto his boulder. His heckles up and his large pink tongue licking at the pads on his feet.  
" What the hell happened there?" Marius exclaimed in a rather shaky voice.  
" The sand must be quite hot…" Jo mused, squatting down she was about to lay her hand upon it but the heat was already unbearable, already burning her skin. " Ouch!" She snapped back up, rubbing her hand. Her green eyes looking widely in astonishment at the others. " That's not normal!" She frowned looking down at the sand below her feet. " Good thing we got new boots in Crystallia!"  
" What about Billabong though?" Bertrande asked.  
" He hasn't got any boots," Amos said plainly.  
" And I don't think we can carry him all the way across this desert…" Simon added.  
Lina looked rather distraught. She nimbly leapt up onto the boulder beside her beloved regit and stroked his fur whilst whispering something in his ear. The others watched as Billabong looked down at them, then pressed his large pink nose against Lina's cheek before turning and scrambling back up the cliff face. He reached the top in moments and disappeared from view. With a sigh Lina jumped down from the boulder and rejoined the others.  
" You ok…?" Lucy asked softly.  
" Yeah, I'm fine," Lina smiled back weakly.  
" Where's he going?" Rosie asked as they started to walk away from the cliff and out into the desert.  
" I've sent him to Aesina…he knows the way and he'll meet us there…" Lina explained.  
The friends walked on across the, literally, burning sands and as the day progressed the sun rose higher and higher above them until they noticed they had no shadows. The sun was directly above them and scorching everything in sight. They all had put the hoods of their cloaks up and, despite the heavy material and their black colour, they were surprisingly, and very pleasantly, cool.  
After a few hours the friends stopped walking for a breather and some water. They couldn't sit down so the rest wasn't actually very restful but the water was much needed and much appreciated.  
Jo glanced back behind them, the cliffs that marked the edge of the plains was now no more than a dark line on the horizon, flickering in the heat haze.  
" Not to sound dramatic or anything…" Lucy said quietly. " But I get the feeling something's coming,"  
" You're not the only one," Marius admitted seriously.  
The friends stood in silence for a few moments, looking out over the sands stretching out ahead of them. The sun was mercilessly blazing down on them but they barely noticed. In the distance there looked to be a fuzzy mass coming towards them. A slight breeze picked up and they all simultaneously froze.  
" I don't suppose there's any chance that's _just_ a breeze is there?" Amos asked rhetorically. " It's not another storm coming…is it…?" Phillipe asked.  
" I don't think so," Jo's reply was aimed at them both.  
They were suddenly hit by a wall of heat and their cheeks began to sting as if a thousand tiny insects were biting them. With narrowed eyes and hands and arms up over their faces, they squinted ahead.  
" What the…" Rosie began.  
" Oh my god!" Martin gasped.  
" This does not look good!" Jo yelled over a now increasing wind. " Not good at all!"


	38. PART 74

The wind howled around them as the friends were plunged into sudden darkness. The stinging sensation on their skin was getting worse by the minute and they all struggled to keep their cloaks under control and wrapped around them.  
" What the _hell's_ going on?" Simon demanded.  
" It's a sandstorm!" Jo yelled back by way of explanation. " And a bad one at that!"  
" You _reckon_?" Lucy managed to shriek before getting a mouthful of sand.  
" What do we do?" Lina cried out, her voice barely carrying above the wind screaming around them.  
" Well, I don't know about you…" Mark shouted, " But this is my first time in a sandstorm, I'm a little unfamiliar with the correct procedure!"  
" I think shelter would be good!" Glyndwr yelled, shielding his face with his hand.  
" I don't remember seeing any nearby…" Marius said, his hood pulled tightly around his head.  
" We can't just go wandering off…!" Jo informed them, " There could be a chasm or anything out there…I mean there could be a brick wall _right_ in front of us and we wouldn't see it!"  
" So what _do_ you suggest we do then…?" Aradia demanded with no apparent attempt to disguise the scorn in her voice. Jo threw the princess a very unimpressed look that was sadly lost in the sand swirling around them all.  
" Grab onto each other…!" Jo instructed, groping out blindly and taking a firm hold of the first thing she felt brush her hand. It turned out to be Simon's arm and she clung to it as if her very life depended on it, as he did to her. One by one the friends managed to find each other, linking arms and holding tightly onto one another's hands.  
" What now?" Marius yelled against the bellowing wind.  
" Follow me…" came the faint reply from Jo. Forming a human chain they began to edge slowly forwards through the biting air. They had all gathered their cloaks around their heads so that by this point, only their eyes were showing. Not that they were providing much help.  
" Jo? Where are you taking us?" Phillipe called from his place near the back of the line once they had been walking into the wind for a good fifteen minutes or so.  
" No idea!" was her sudden and relatively loud response. " But I thought we might as well try and keep moving…maybe we can outrun this thing…"  
" What do you mean outrun it?" Demanded Jenny pointedly. " It's a _storm_, Jo, not an _army_!" " I wouldn't be so sure," Jo replied under her breath, not that she needed to with the noise that surrounded them all.  
Jo squinted into the swirling sand, which surrounded them, as she continued to edge forwards with the others following her one by one. She paused momentarily, a frown etched on her face. She could have sworn she had just seen something not far ahead of them. Something, something moving…someone perhaps…  
Her train of thought was brought to an abrupt halt. As was the floor. Jo screamed as she felt herself fall through thin air.  
" Jo!" Guillaume called out, dashing forwards, clawing his way along the chain of people to where Jo had vanished.  
Almost as if on cue, the sand filled air parted and the friends gasped. Jo was dangling several metres below them, her cloak was all that was preventing her from falling down to the bottom of the deep, rocky gorge below. But her cloak was also choking her, the heavy material having twisted around her throat. Glancing down at their feet the friends all felt their heart skip a beat as they saw they were all mere inches from falling down there after her.  
" Oh my god…" Rosie murmured, falling to her knees, alongside Guillaume and everyone else.  
" Jo? Can you hear us?" Marius shouted down to her dropping down onto his front and leaning over the edge to try and reach her.  
" Yeah…I'm…" Jo shouted back up before a huge gust of wind seemed to lift her up and drop her callously back against the side of the gorge. Her head hit the wall with an audible crack and she hung lifelessly from her cloak.  
" Jo? Jo, are you alright…?" Mark yelled down while Guillaume, Phillipe and Martin had all laid flat on the ground with Marius and were trying to reach down to where Jo's cloak had snagged on a rock. Jo didn't answer. The vicious wind continued to blow down on them all, mercilessly battering Jo against the rocks.  
" I can't reach it!" Martin shouted as his outstretched hand and arm failed to grab hold of her fluttering cloak.  
"Jo!" Guillaume all but screamed. He started to lower himself over the edge when Bertrande grabbed hold of his arm, pulling him back over the top.  
" No! You can't! You'll be blown off the rocks before you can reach her!" She pleaded with her childhood friend.  
" We can't just _stand_ here!" Guillaume yelled back in her face, shrugging himself free.  
" Wait! Look…!" Lucy suddenly exclaimed. " Who's that…? Down there..?"  
The friends all stopped and peered down towards Jo and simultaneously gasped. Edging their way along the face of the rock was a figure in a long dark cloak, they were making their way slowly but surely towards Jo. The friends waited with baited breath as the figure reached Jo, carefully lifted her up, unhooking her cloak and took her into their arms. Looking up, the figure gestured to the friends, pointing to their right as they started to make their way along the narrowest ledge any of the friends had ever seen, Jo hanging limply in their arms.  
" They want us to follow them I guess…!" Lina said, started to walk along the edge, heading in the same direction as the hooded figure. Soon the ground started to slope downwards and the friends were gradually taken down into the gorge. All of a sudden the hooded figure appeared by their side.  
" Follow me!" They ordered loudly against the wind as they headed further down the sloping pathway they were following before ducking into a cave in the rock face.  
The friends crowded into the cave while the stranger carefully laid Jo down on the floor, Guillaume rushing to kneel beside her. She was very pale, several small cuts on her face and arms from the rocks with her hair full of sand and grit, almost making it look grey, but more importantly, she wasn't breathing.  
" Jo…?" Guillaume tentatively reached out and shook her shoulder.  
" Come on Jo," Aradia mumbled, biting her lower lip nervously.  
" Give her some air," The stranger instructed, leaning forwards quickly to undo the clasp of Jo's cloak, freeing her throat from the twisted, heavy material.  
Almost instantly Jo started to cough and, to everyone's shock, several small clouds of very fine sand came out of her mouth. She lay still for a moment or two before her eyes fluttered open slightly.  
" She's ok!" Guillaume exclaimed joyously, clasping her close to him.  
" Oh _is_ she…?" Jo's voice asked, it was definitely weaker than usual and rasping but it still had it's familiar bite to it. " For your information swallowing _half_ or a desert and being bashed against nasty _pointy_ rocks doesn't exactly leave you feeling particularly refreshed!"  
A faint ripple of laughter went around the group, who were now shaking copious amounts of sand out of their cloaks, packs, clothing, hair, from just about everywhere.  
" But who am I to thank?" Jo asked the hooded and cloaked figure hovering near the entrance to the cave, outside of which the sound of the wind could still be heard clearly as it screamed across the desert, the wind sounding even more annoyed then before.  
" It was nothing…really…" The figure replied with a slight inclination of their head, " Anyone would have done the same…"  
" But you were the only one there…if it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't be here. Please, who are you…?" Jo demanded rather weakly from her position on the floor of the cave, leaning against the wall, still trying desperately to resume a normal breathing pattern. The stranger stepped forwards and, after a slight pause, raised their hands to push back the hood of their cloak.  
A gasp ran around the group.  
" Aitor?" Guillaume and Glyndwr exclaimed simultaneously as Jo's rescuer removed his hood. " Well I never…" Martin sighed.  
" Are you all alright…?" Dedra asked, his pale eyes glancing at them all in turn.  
" Yeah…yeah, I think so…" Jo answered.  
" How did you…I mean…" Rosie started. " How did you find us…?"  
" I was passing through a settlement back on the plains and they mentioned that you'd been there too and were now heading this way," Dedra answered, looking around but not quite meeting anyone's eyes. " I know the desert can be dangerous at this time of year and thought I should try to find you and warn you before you found yourselves stranded out here…I caught sight of you just before the storm hit and figured you'd probably be heading in this direction," He paused. " After all, it was the least I could, you _did_ save my life not so long ago…" He tapped his left shin with a half smile.  
Jo stood up and stretched, wincing. " Well I think that little incident will be staying with me for a while…" She grinned. " And Aitor..? Will you be rejoining us…?"  
Within seconds Jo found herself at the back of the cave, surrounded by the rest of the group all of whom looked very serious. Very serious indeed.  
" Alright, what's wrong…?" Jo asked cautiously.  
" Jo, you cannot seriously be entertaining the idea of taking him with us again?" Glyndwr demanded, his usually quiet voice was quite stern.  
" You know my feelings on the matter," Guillaume said darkly, when Jo's bemused gaze met his.  
" He just _saved_ my life!" Jo exclaimed in disbelief, her hands spread wide at her sides. " Does that mean _nothing_ to you lot?"  
" Don't be stupid Jo, of course it _does_, it's just…" Rosie glanced at the others for help.  
" Doesn't it strike you as slightly odd though that he showed up at the precise moment you got into trouble…?" Mark pressed.  
" No," Jo replied flatly, folding her arms over her chest. " It strikes me as lucky, _very_ lucky!"  
" But Jo, we know nothing about him…" Lucy said quietly, almost afraid she might be overheard.  
" And he knows next to nothing about us and yet he risked his life to save one of us…" Jo retorted, her green eyes sparkling with suppressed anger.  
" Yes he did," Jenny agreed, " But don't you find it even remotely weird that he managed to show up just as mysteriously now as he did in the mountains…?"  
" Jenny, we were in a _sandstorm_, a Boeing 747 could have landed right next to us and it's appearance would have been just as _mysterious_!"  
" That's not what she meant and you know it," Phillipe said rather firmly.  
There was a pause while Jo's mind flew back to that morning at the foot of the mountains when she and Billabong had discovered that his injury had been self-inflicted.  
_'…it's not that I don't _like him, Billabong, I just…don't trust_ him...He's got a secret and it must be a big one…'_  
She had even _asked_ him about it herself…  
_'How did you come to fall anyway…surely you weren't up in the mountains alone…?'_  
She had asked but he hadn't answered.  
She had suspected him even then of being more than he seemed. But why hadn't she done anything about it? Jo didn't know. She had, instead, taken him with them, given him a bead from Mithras' necklace to protect him when he had chosen to leave them. As she had watched him wander away from them through the rocks and boulders on the mountainside she had had a dark feeling about where his destination might have been.  
Jo glanced across the cave to where he stood, looking pensively at them. His sandy hair was falling down across his forehead and into those pale turquoise eyes. She looked as deeply as she dared into those cool pools, searching for something, _anything_, to convince her and, she hoped, the others. There was something shining in those eyes, something that seemed so familiar, flashing occasionally amongst the nerves and confusion that were obvious. Jo bit her lip in thought momentarily.  
" Weird doesn't come close to it Jenny," Jo finally said, turning back to them. " But then again, it doesn't really come close to describing some of our own appearances now does it?" She quirked an eyebrow. " He's coming with us, at least until we get out of the desert. We had no idea how to survive out here, he does, and with the effects of the sandstorm still to be fully seen, if nothing else we'll _need_ a guide…"  
" I guess," Mark agreed through firmly gritted teeth. Guillaume and Glyndwr's jaws were set so tightly they couldn't even respond, save a brief nod.  
" Good," said Jo tightly, leaving the others and heading over to where Dedra stood.  
" I have a bad feeling about this," Martin muttered as they all drifted slowly after her.  
" Haven't we all?" Amos replied almost silently.  
" And you're sure it's ok…?" Dedra asked more tentatively than ever, his eyes flitting from stony face to stony face surrounding him. Only Jo's face looked even vaguely friendly towards him.  
" Yeah," Bertrande mumbled.  
" It's ok," Simon muttered.  
" Great," Jo said in what was obviously an over enthusiastic voice. " Let's get going then…"  
The howling wind had stopped and the air was no longer full of sand and grit as the rather silent group headed back out into the sunshine.  
They were now at the foot of the gorge and the walls around them were covered with cave entrances. The rocks were the same hot orange in colour as the sands had been and the friends had to shield their eyes against the glare. The only slight benefit to being down in the gorge was that the air seemed to be that little bit cooler and no where near as dry as it had been up on the dunes. Although it did little to cool down the hot tempers amongst them. Jo walked alone at the head of the group, Dedra was a few paces behind her, occasionally giving her directions with the others walking a good few feet behind them both, all of them with grim expressions and permanent frowns.  
After an hour or so they reached the end of the gorge where it spread out into a much wider, almost, valley. The wall before them was almost semi-circular in shape with hundred of caves boring into it. The friends spread out while Phillipe consulted the map, with Dedra's help, taking much needed water from their packs. Guillaume stood to one side, his dark eyes focused on one thing and not shifting. On Dedra. Jo watched him for a moment or two before marching over, grabbing his arm and dragging him further from the rest of the group.  
" Alright, what's wrong?" Jo demanded as soon as they were out of earshot of the others.  
"I beg you…" Guillaume started.  
" You've had a face like a smacked ar…well, you've not looked 'best pleased' since we last the cave…what's wrong with you?" Jo frowned.  
" Oh come on Jo! Take a wild guess!" Guillaume shot back, his dark eyes now glowing.  
" Please don't tell me this is about Aitor…" Jo groaned.  
" Well what else would it be about?"  
" What's wrong with him?" Jo demanded.  
" What's right?"  
" Don't be so childish Guillaume!"  
" I don't trust him," Guillaume replied tightly.  
" Why?" Jo responded like a shot.  
" Well, he…he…er…" Guillaume struggled to think of anything that the sandy haired stranger had done against any of the group. " He tried to kill you, remember up in the mountains, he had a dagger against your throat once…!"  
_'Twice'_ Jo corrected in her mind.  
" Yes he did…but _you_ almost got me killed too, remember," Jo said softly, her green eyes piercing the dark brown of his own. " But I insisted we bring you along…and that wasn't too a bad a thing in the end now was it…?" She smirked slightly as a red colouring filtered onto his cheeks.  
" But you and me…" Guillaume replied rather gruffly. " That was different…I loved you…and you…well…" He grinned, dimples forming in his cheeks. " You loved me didn't you…?"  
" Yes I did, and while you didn't _really_ mean to get me hurt back then, neither did Aitor, he was in pain, remember? And while I have no intention of falling in love with Aitor," Jo grinned back, " I don't see why he can't come with us too…" She lifted an eyebrow slightly. " Please, just let him come with us…if he does anything untoward…then you have my full permission to batter him!" Jo giggled.  
" Fair enough," Guillaume agreed before his face became darker than Jo had seen it in a long while. " But I mean it Jo, if he even puts a _toe_ out of line…I'll have him!"  
" I know you will," Jo sighed, hugging him as they wandered back over to the others.  
" Right then," Phillipe announced, folding away the map. " We think the crystal is in one of these caves…"  
" Well that narrows it down!" Marius snorted, before receiving a dig in the ribs from Rosie. " What was that for? I was only saying…"  
" We know," The others all replied as they looked at the hundreds and hundreds of caves before them. The effect of the black patches on the bright orange stone was to confuse their eyes, making the number seem to treble.  
" Well, any idea on which ones might be more likely," Jo rubbed at her eyes, trying to get rid of the spots dancing there.  
" Those three…" Dedra pointed to three large caves directly in front of them. " Most of the others are shallow caves, little more than dips in the rock…those three look like proper caves…the kind you'd hid something in…"  
A thoughtful silence fell over the group.  
" Well then, three caves, three groups," Jo said brightly. " Who's going with who…?"

" This is disgusting!" Aradia exclaimed for what seemed to the hundredth time in the last few minutes.  
" No, you don't say!" Rosie sniped rather aggressively as her footing slipped slightly.  
The cave that Rosie, Aradia, Lucy, Simon and Guillaume had entered it seemed was the home to bats. The smell was pretty horrific and the floor of the cave was somewhat slushy underfoot. They walked on slowly, Simon already having nearly ended up face first in it when he'd lost his footing earlier. Saved only by Guillaume grabbing hold of him and keeping him upright.  
" The crystal can't be in here surely," Lucy mumbled, her hand holding her cloak over her nose.  
" Well, I think this is the end of the cave," Guillaume said, reaching out rather cautiously to feel the back wall. " So I don't think so…"  
" Then lets get out of here!" Aradia said determinedly, spinning around and starting to march, as quickly as she could, back towards the entrance. The others followed  
Lucy put out a hand to steady herself as she started to loose balance and touched something. Something warm and furry and alive. She screamed loudly and yanked her hand away. Within seconds the air was full of screeching bats. Aradia's screams were by far the loudest but she was by no means the only one yelling as the five of them broke into a run for the way out.  
" Aaaaaah! They're in my hair! They're in my _hair_!" shrieked the Princess as they sped out of the cave and into the daylight once more.  
" Oh…my…god…!" Groaned Simon, his chest heaving as they stood and watched as thousands of bats followed them out of the cave and flew up into the sky.  
" Guessing you didn't find it either then…?" A voice asked from behind them making them jump. " No…" Lucy sighed at Martin.  
" No luck in your cave then…?" Rosie asked, while checking her hair thoroughly for trapped bats.  
" Nope," Jenny groaned. The cave that she, Mark, Martin, Lina and Dedra had gone into had been had been just as fruitless. Rock, lots of rocks, but that had been about it. " Wonder how Jo, Marius and the others are getting on…?" Lina murmured looking to the cave entrance that they' d gone into. There was a sudden, rather high pitched yell as a bat flew out of Guillaume's cloak. He coughed a few times and squared his shoulders while the others gave him rather worried looks.  
" You alright…?" Simon asked.  
" Fine thank you," came the curt reply from the Frenchman.  
" Well, the crystal must be in that cave somewhere," Lina said.  
" Yeah, I wonder what else is though too…" Mark mused rather seriously.

Inside the third cave, Jo, Marius, Bertrande, Amos and Phillipe had yet to find any bats, or large rocks. They had however found something else. Something that had stopped them dead in their tracks, mouths open only marginally wider than their eyes.  
" Is that…is that what I think it is…?" Marius somehow managed to ask after a few minutes of stunned silence had passed.  
" I don't know Marius, that depends," Jo hissed from alongside him. " If you think that's a bunny rabbit, then you're wrong!" Jo snapped acerbically. "But if you think that what that it is, is a fifty foot long, bright red, rather worrying looking dragon…then yeah, Marius, you're right!"


	39. PART 75

" So, do we run or what?" Amos hissed after several rather tense moments had passed in which the five of them had just stood in silence staring at the dragon, and the dragon had just stared back. The tip of it's long tail flicking back and forth slowly. The creature's long, sleek body was covered in fiery red scales that almost seemed to twinkle in the light of their torch. However this pretty effect was somewhat ruined by the large, rather pointy teeth shining in the dragon's mouth and the rather worrying glint in it's large yellow eyes.  
" I'm not sure," Phillipe whispered gravely. " None of us are exactly experts in Dragonlore now are we?"  
" Hey Jo! Didn't you say you knew a spell for dragons?" Bertrande exclaimed as loudly as she dared.  
" Yes, yes I did," Jo murmured in response.  
" Well…" Marius said expectantly. " Go on then, do your witchy thing and get us out of here!"  
" I would but the spell is only to immobilise a dragon in _flight_ and I don't know about you guys but I don't fancy trying to goad that thing into flying around in here!" Jo muttered angrily.  
" So, do we run or what?" Amos repeated, more fervently than before.  
" I vote for running," Marius admitted plainly.  
" Me too," Added Bertrande.  
" Well, I would, only…" Jo hesitated.  
" Only what? It's not a tough decision Jo! _Stay_ with the huge, scary, potentially lethal creature or _run_ away from it!" Bertrande snapped.  
" Only…" Jo continued. " Only I wonder why a dragon would be down here…if not to guard something…"  
" Maybe it was hiding from the sandstorm," Phillipe suggested as he started to back away slightly. Taking a firm hold of Jo's arm and forcing her to go with him.  
" Don't be stupid!" Jo pulled her arm free and looked squarely into the dragon's face. " I'll ask it…"  
" You'll _what_?" exclaimed Amos.  
" Don't be stupid!" Phillipe repeated, taking hold of her arm once again.  
" Why are you here…?" Jo asked the dragon as loudly as she dared.  
" I don't believe she just did that…" Bertrande gulped, her face getting paler by the minute.  
" One could argue the question of greater importance is, why are _you_ here…?" The dragon's voice was deep and melodious, if not slightly booming and loud.  
" Wow, you can talk…?" Marius exclaimed, his thickly lashed eyes wide in surprise.  
" How odd, I was going to say the same about you…it's amazing how evolution works, don't you think?" came the rather sarcastic response from the creature.  
" We are seeking a crystal," Phillipe intervened seriously, his own deep voice echoing off of the cave's walls.  
" And…?" The dragon enquired.  
" And do you have one…?" Jo asked flatly, her head on one side. " We don't really have much time to waste so if you could just get straight to the point we'd very much appreciate it. Do you have a large piece of crystal here…or not…?"  
The dragon regarded Jo carefully.  
" You are courageous my young explorer, but courage cuts no ice with me," The dragon flexed his foreleg making long, sharp claws stretch out into the air for a moment. " But I do have a crystal," The five sighed in relief, before the dragon continued. " However, if you want this crystal, you must prove that you are worthy of claiming it."  
" And just how are we to do that…?" Phillipe asked darkly.  
" A test of mind power," came the reply, " I love riddles," announced the dragon, " If you can beat me with a riddle or puzzle then the crystal shall be yours…" There was a pause while the five friends exchanged glances.  
" So, if we give you a puzzle that you cannot solve…you'll give us the crystal…?" Bertrande queried.  
The dragon nodded slowly.  
" And if we don't…?" Was her second question, asked much more quietly.  
" Let me guess, we'll perish in the fiery inferno of your flames," Amos gulped dramatically, drawing a rather high pitched yelp from Bertrande.  
The look that the dragon shot him was nothing short of disgusted.  
" You'll _what_…?"  
" You'll kill us, right?" Amos asked, much less dramatically than before.  
"And…" The dragon brought its head so close that it's breath was fanning their cloaks out behind them. "…_why_ exactly would I want to do that?"  
" Well, because…because you're a dragon…?" Amos suggested rather than explained.  
" How very observant of you to notice," smirked the dragon, resting its head on one of it's clawed forefeet.  
" So, you're saying that if we don't manage to beat you with our puzzle, then you'll just, let us go…no questions asked…?" Marius asked.  
" No limbs missing…?" Added Amos, clearly not believing a word he was being told.  
" By George I think he's got it," The dragon exclaimed.  
" No breathing fire, no taking us prisoner…you'll just, let us go…?" Jo frowned slightly. " Are you _sure_ you're a dragon?"  
The dragon raised what they assumed would have been an eyebrow, had there been hair there, flicking out a claw and hooking it into Jo's cloak, drawing her closer.  
" You are very brave, for one so _small_," The dragon remarked after regarding her for a moment or two.  
" Thanks," Jo replied tightly, resisting the urge to answer back.  
" Or maybe just suicidal…"  
" You _what_…?" Jo started before realisation hit her hard and she bit her tongue quickly.  
" But yes," The dragon released Jo. " I am fairly sure I'm a dragon, thank you." The dragon gave a rather martyred sigh. " I really don't know where you humans get these _stupid_ ideas from…ok, so maybe on a bad day, one of us may have _accidentally_ burnt a village…or two…but _you_ try controlling your nose in the heat of July when you suffer from hay fever…" The dragon snuffled, causing all five of them to take a rather large step backwards. " And if these _silly_ Princesses will insist on _wandering_ like sheep into our dens, without _warning_, often at the most _unsuitable_ of times…then their fate is their own fault…"  
Jo had to fight hard not to laugh outright at the thought of Aradia's reaction to this little rant.  
" Anyway, judging by your apparel and desire to claim my crystal I would hazard a guess that you are on a quest…" The dragon began.  
" In the middle, actually…" Bertrande interjected as politely as she could.  
" And I believe time is usually of the essence on such things…?" The dragon enquired. Jo and the others nodded quickly. " Very well then, if you have a puzzle, then try your best."  
"Anyone got one…?" Phillipe asked after the friends exchanged glances.  
" I can remember half of one…" Marius mumbled, a hand to his forehead as he tried to remember the other half.  
" Don't look at me," Amos shrugged, " I was useless with these at school…"  
" And I didn't even _go_ to school," was Bertrande's response. " Plus, I've already got us a crystal, only fair I get out of getting this one!" She finished rather ineloquently.  
" What about you…got any about how a prisoner escapes a room with now door and no window…?" Amos grinned at Phillipe who looked blankly at him.  
" But…they're not _meant_ to escape…" came his blunt and slightly bewildered reply.  
" Hang on, I think I've got one…" Jo exclaimed loudly, striding towards the dragon boldly. " You ready…er…what's your name…?"  
The dragon's mouth curved into what looked like an amused grin.  
" I was wondering if you would have time for such pleasantries…I am Erensuge, Guardian of the Plains of Fire, but you may call me Eren…"  
" Erensuge…" Jo said the name to herself quietly. " Doesn't….doesn't that just mean 'dragon'…?"  
" In the tongue of the Meanders yes, I was given my name by one of their leaders…many years ago…" The dragon nodded.  
" Oh really? We have a Meander with us…" Bertrande exclaimed happily. " He's called Glyndwr and he's really nice, although a little on the _mysterious_ side but helpful and friendly all the same, I'm sure you'd like him, and why are you all staring at me like that…?"  
" Bertrande," Phillipe spoke as gently as he could, obviously not wanting to say his next few words in the wrong way. " Now is hardly the time for a 'getting to know you' session…!"  
Jo began humming the tune to 'Getting to know you' and stopped rather abruptly upon seeing the stares were now aimed in her direction. " What…? Can I help it if a tune gets stuck in my head…?"  
The others rolled their eyes with a groan.  
" Well, that's Marius and Phillipe of Paris, Bertrande of Artigat, Amos of…well…the deep south and I'm Jo…" Jo quickly explained.  
Erensuge lowered his head slightly.  
" It's an honour," he smiled. " Now then, Jo, if you please, I am ready for your challenge…" " Alright then," Jo smirked, grabbing her dagger and beginning to scratch into the stone floor.  
" Jo, what are you doing?" Amos hissed at her.  
" Just hang on," Jo replied, adding a final scratch or two before standing up and facing Eren once more. " Try this one then…" She backed away to let the dragon see what she had scratched.  
Scratched into the floor were eight letters.

**H I J K L M N O**

" And _this_ is your puzzle?" Eren asked haughtily.  
" Yeah," Jo replied airily. " What does it mean…?"  
The dragon's eyes narrowed briefly before looking back down at what Jo had written on the floor. The friends backed away slightly, as the creatures large yellow eyes flicked back and forth, from one letter to the other.  
" Do you think it'll work it out…?" Marius asked as quietly as he could. Jo shrugged.  
" No idea, but it stumped me for a while when my little brother showed it to me," She admitted, somewhat coldly.  
" This is not a real puzzle," Eren announced after a few more minutes.  
" Oh yes it bloody well is," Jo replied shortly, walking towards the dragon. " What? You can't work it out, is that it?" She quirked an eyebrow.  
" The puzzle does not make sense…the number corresponding to each letter does not make anything significant through any form of mathematical manipulation that I can think of…nor do the letters themselves signify anything," The dragon replied coldly although Jo did notice there was a slightly annoyed tone that hadn't been there before.  
" That doesn't make it any less of a puzzle," Jo folded her arms over her chest. " You give up then I take it…?"  
The dragon shot her a look that Jo had no doubt would seriously have maimed her if looks could indeed kill.  
" Very well, then, explain your puzzle," Erensuge conceded after a good couple of minutes spent eyeballing Jo.  
Jo paused, clearly relishing the feeling of outwitting the creature.  
" It's water," Jo said simply.  
The others crowded around, looking closely at the floor and after a minute or two they exclaimed.  
" Oh yeah!"  
" I get it now!"  
" H to O!"  
" Good one Jo!"  
Jo beamed slightly.  
" Don't thank me, thank my little brother!" She grinned as she looked back at the dragon. " So then, where's the crystal?"  
" I beg your pardon…" said Eren calmly.  
" I said, _where's the crystal?_" Jo repeated, annoyance and a tremble of something else entering her voice.  
" Why should I tell you that?" enquired Erensuge smugly.  
" Because…" Jo faltered. " Because you didn't solve my puzzle…I beat you…"  
The dragon slowly shook his head from side to side.  
" No…no, you didn't…but you did _try_…!"  
The condescension in the creature's voice almost pushed Jo over the edge.  
" But…I had to _tell_ you the answer!" Jo exclaimed.  
" And I had already told you," Erensuge brought his head closer to Jo. " Yours was not a real puzzle…"  
" It bloody well _was_!" Jo snapped.  
" Jo…careful…" Phillipe murmured, watching as the dragon's eyes narrowed.  
" S'not my fault you're too up yourself to admit you couldn't work it out. I just-!" Jo ranted until she was abruptly cut off mid-flow as Erensuge swept his forefoot to the side, knocking Jo off her feet and pinning her against the cave wall in his claws.  
" I do not usually make a habit of imprisoning my _guests_, and even less frequently do I subject them to any kind of pain." Erensuge brought his snout to within inches of Jo's face. " However, one more little outburst like that, my _little_ explorer, and I might find it in myself to make an exception!"  
Jo swallowed nervously and, consequently, noisily.  
"…sorry…" Jo smiled weakly. "…I didn't think…"  
" Clearly," Erensuge drawled, regarding her more closely. " However, I doubt this is any new addition to your character, judging from the reaction of your companions." Jo flushed slightly and squirmed against the rock. " Very well, purely out of my own _intrigue_ I shall give you all _one_ more try, if you can outwit me you may have the crystal…" The dragon turned to look at the other four. " That is if you have another one to challenge me with…?"  
Marius and Phillipe exchanged a glance while Amos and Bertrande merely shrugged.  
" I…I think I've got one…" Marius said, somewhat shakily.  
" Oh _good_…" The dragon grinned, a rather frightening expression given the size and number of teeth it had. " And you are…?"  
" Marius…" He began quietly before squaring his shoulders, raising his chin slightly and announcing proudly, " I am Baron Marius Pontmercy, of Paris." He bowed his head slightly.  
" My, my, my…a baron…!" The dragon exclaimed. " I am honoured…" Erensuge smirked in a tone that said he was anything but. " All I know about Baron's, from my limited previous experiences of them, is that they are unbelievably _stupid_…!" Erensuge's smirk grew. " Tasted good though…!" He added with a wink.  
Marius gulped as the dragon glanced back at Jo. " If _that's_ the best chance they're offering, I wouldn't hold my breath…not looking too good for you, is it?"  
Jo frowned.  
" What do you mean…?"  
" Oh, didn't I say…" The dragon replied, sounding genuinely surprised. " Your friends have to win your freedom, as well as the crystal."  
" You can't _do_ that!" Phillipe snarled, drawing his sword. The dragon's eyes narrowed again as he closed his claws tighter around Jo, making her wince.  
" _Funny_…because I think you'll find…that I just did!" The creature's yellow eyes flicked back to Marius. " So _Baron_, ask your question…no pressure!" He added with a sardonic grin.  
Marius groaned and stepped forwards, took out his dagger as Jo had done and, with a deep breath, began to scratch something onto the floor of the cave.

" Alright," Marius said, standing up. " You are going to visit three churches…"  
" I don't go to church…" Erensuge hissed wickedly.  
" You do _now_!" Marius snapped with uncharacteristic venom. " As I was saying…you are going to visit three churches and you must leave the same number of flowers in each church and have no flowers left at the end." Marius paused. " Now, when you cross the bridges the number of flowers you have with you doubles. So, for example, if you had ten flowers and put five in the first church, when you reached the second church the left over five would have become ten again, you'd have to leave another five in _that_ church and the remaining five would be doubled and so on."  
" I understand," Erensuge replied, after a pause spent looking at Marius' drawing.  
" What you have to tell me is, how many flowers do you start with to end up with none when you leave the final church and how many flowers you leave in each of the churches on the way." Marius thought for a moment then grinned. " For a dragon of your superior intelligence I'm sure this will be only too _easy_ and so enforcing a time limit of say…a _minute_…will be nothing…!"  
" You can't do that!" pouted the dragon.  
" Oh no…that's odd because, I'll think you'll find I just _did_!" Marius smirked back, " Besides if you're even _half_ as wise as you make yourself out to be, it shouldn't take you very long at all!" Marius glanced across and winked briefly at Jo.  
Erensuge grumbled for a few moments.  
" No pressure," Marius all but laughed, he was starting to enjoy this.  
" I need more time," growled the dragon impatiently.  
" Do you have an answer…?" Phillipe asked, trying desperately to hold back the grin that was threatening to break out onto his face.  
The dragon roared angrily.  
" Very well, you have beaten me _this_ time," He conceded. " But you must solve it before you claim your reward…!"  
" My pleasure," said Marius happily. " The answer is seven. You start with seven flowers and leave four in the first church. The remaining three is double to give you six. You leave four flowers in the second church, leaving you two. This is then doubled to give you four which you then leave in the third church!" Marius' grin by this point threatened to split his face in half.  
" Good one mate," Amos slapped Marius' shoulder jovially.  
" I believe you owe us something…" Bertrande smiled sweetly at Erensuge. " Hand it over!"  
Begrudgingly, Erensuge reached behind him and pulled up a chunk of crystal. He held it up between two claws. The flame of their torch setting off a million tine rainbows to shoot out from it's depths and decorate the walls of the cave.  
" You have won," acknowledged Erensuge. " Now you can choose your reward."  
" Oh no…" Amos groaned.  
" What do you mean, _choose_?" demanded Marius, his grin rapidly fading.  
" One defeat, one reward," Erensuge said plainly, mirth sparkling in his eyes. " The crystal, or the explorer…you decide…"  
" Why you _sneaky_…!" started Bertrande before managing to bite her tongue.  
" Don't be stupid you lot," Jo called over to them. " Take what we came here for, take the crystal!"  
" No way!" Phillipe said flatly.  
" Come on," Jo continued, " I've gotten out of worse scrapes…how much trouble can an overgrown Gecko be anyway…?"  
" Watch it," Erensuge warned her darkly, lifting the point of a claw to raise up her chin. " You're not free yet!"  
" We're not going to leave you here," Bertrande called back.  
" Guillaume'd kill us for one thing!" Phillipe laughed, albeit hollowly.  
" True," Jo admitted, with a rather happy sigh.  
" Hang on a minute," Amos suddenly exclaimed. " How does this sound, Evenrude…?"  
" _Erensuge_" the dragon correctly painfully.  
" Yeah, whatever, we give you another puzzle…double or quits…" Amos continued eagerly.  
" I _beg_ your pardon…" frowned Erensuge.  
" If we beat you with another puzzle, we get both Jo back _and_ the crystal…if we lose…" Amos explained.  
" I keep _both_…" The dragon mused, glancing at the crystal then Jo. " Seems a fair challenge to me…"  
" Great!" Amos grinned, turning back to the other three.  
" Only one problem, Amos," Phillipe sighed.  
" Yeah…?" Amos asked.  
" Does anyone have another puzzle…?"

" They've been gone a while, haven't they…?" Mark murmured to no one in particular. The rest of the friends waiting outside the cave had shrugged off their cloaks in the heat and spread them onto rocks to sit on. The miraculous material from which they had been made, it seemed, also kept out most of the heat from the sun-scorched rocks. Guillaume frowned from his position on a large rock, close to the cave's entrance through which Jo, Marius, Betrande, Amos and Phillipe had gone in search of the crystal.  
" Yeah, just a bit." The Artigatian conceded.  
" Do you think they've found the crystal?" Rosie's ever optimistic voice called over.  
" Maybe," Jenny smiled back, hopefully.  
" It might just have been a particularly deep cave," offered Dedra, causing Guillaume to shoot him a look darker than the one he had been previously aiming at the cave. "They're probably on they way back right now."  
Another silence fell over them. The sun was blazing down mercilessly from the cloudless blue sky above and, now that the sandstorm had completely vanished, there was not a breath of wind. Most of them had rolled back their sleeves as they sat back, basking the sunlight. Simon had even stripped his shirt off completely and was now laid out on his back, hands cushioning his head, soaking up the rays.  
" Careful you don't burn," Lina sat up and looked across at Simon's skin, which was gradually turning more and more pink. " That sun is pretty fierce you know."  
" I'll be fine," Simon grinned back at her with a wink, " I _never_ burn!"  
" Famous last words…" muttered Martin to Guillaume with a wry smirk as the former apostle lay back down and continued his basking..  
" Hey! You found anything yet?" A voice called down to them. They all looked up to see Glyndwr carefully picking his way down through the rocks.  
" Yeah, but nothing useful," Rosie squinted up at the Meander as he approached, shuddering slightly at the thought of the bats they'd discovered in their chosen cave.  
" Jo and the others aren't back yet though…" Guillaume said, glancing back at the cave. " So I reckon they must have found _something_…!"  
" How bout you…?" Lina enquired as Glyndwr shrugged off his own cloak and sat down on it, alongside Guillaume.  
" Nothing, not a sign of life anywhere…" He said, taking a long drink from his water bottle. Glyndwr had taken the time while the others explored the caves, to see if he could find anything of any use to them back up on the desert plains. He hadn't wanted to go in with the rest of them, in fact he had refused point blank to enter the caves. The others had agreed to let him go and explore although each of them had made a mental note to find out more about why their companion had been so against helping them search on this occasion. " How long have they been in there…?" Glyndwr asked, nodding his head at the cave.  
" Not sure, twenty minutes…half an hour maybe…" Jenny shrugged, pulling her hair back behind her ears.  
" Can anyone think of anything _useful_ we could be doing…rather than just sitting here and waiting…?" Lina asked, her wings twitching behind her, a sign that she needed to do something, _anything_, to alleviate her boredom. Her wing still ached and twinged when she tried to stretch them so flying was still out of the question and all this time spent on the ground was beginning to get to her.  
" Well, I guess we could look for flint…or something…" Mark suggested.  
" For what?" Aradia exclaimed.  
" Flint," Mark repeated, " It's a kind of stone that when you bang it together creates sparks…good for starting fires…" " What do we need that for when we've got Jo, the human Zippo?" Jenny smirked.  
" True," Mark nodded, " But what if we have to separate…or you need to start a fire and Jo's not around to do the whole witchy thing…?" " I think I know the kind of rocks you mean," Glyndwr nodded as he glanced up.  
" Well then, sounds better than just sitting here to me…!" Rosie grinned, jumping down from her rock and beginning to wander around, looking amongst the piles of rocks for pieces of flint. She was quickly followed by the others, they even managed to prise Simon up off his rock and Lina finally convinced him to pull his shirt back on, even though the bright pink colour of his skin warned it might be too late to prevent him burning.  
Guillaume wandered around the edge, near to the foot of the cliffs when he spotted Aitor not far away. Just looking at him made the Artigatian's blood boil for a reason he could fully explain. Guillaume glanced about edgily, the others were far enough away for him to have a quiet 'conversation' with Aitor without any interruptions.  
Dedra could almost _feel_ Guillaume's approach, sense his narrowed eyes steadily burning a hole into his back.  
" Something you wanted, Guillaume?" Dedra asked, slowly turning to face him.  
" Nothing _you_ can help me with," came the short answer as Guillaume shoved him aside. There was a brief surge of anger in Dedra but he took a deep breath and bit back the challenge longing to come out of his mouth.  
" Guillaume, I know-" he started.  
" What?" Guillaume whirled to face him, dark eyes flashing. For a moment Dedra was unable to respond. There was something in the other man's expression that was almost…_recognisable_. " What _is_ it?" Guillaume pressed, forcing Dedra out of his thoughts.  
" Why…why do you act like this towards me?" Dedra asked. It wasn't a demand, nor was it a heartfelt plea, it was merely a question. Guillaume took a step forward, bringing him _mere_ inches from Dedra.  
" Because I don't like you," The Frenchman said firmly.  
" No?" Dedra feigned a shocked tone of voice. " Tell me it's not true…!"  
Guillaume's face became a shade darker.  
" I don't know why you're here…or why you're so keen to join us but I do know one thing," Guillaume closed the gap between them by taking two handfuls of Dedra's tunic and yanking him forwards and off of his feet, surprise and fear shining in Dedra's pale eyes. " I will be watching you every minute of every day and every night, you put even a _toe_ out of line…and I'll kill you…" His voice was quiet and his tone even and that was probably what made it so frightening.  
" But…what about…Jo…?" Dedra asked, wriggling slightly to pull away from him.  
" Oh Jo knows…" Guillaume smiled wickedly, dropping him back onto his feet and taking a step away. " And even she won't try to save you should you mess this chance up!" With that, Guillaume walked slowly away. Dedra's chest was heaving slightly with repressed anger and, he was ashamed to admit it, a certain amount of fear. The tightness in his throat and the bizarre urge to cry that he felt behind his eyes he felt might have something to do with this new knowledge that Jo wouldn't intervene to help him again should he get on Guillaume's bad side. But his anger, for the moment, overwhelmed those thoughts. Watching as Guillaume walked back to the others he kept thinking back to something Obsequious had said just before he had left the castle.  
_"…if Guillaume should meet with an…_accident_…so much the better…then, at a suitable moment…come back and bring Jo with you…"_  
" An accident…" Dedra muttered darkly to himself, glanced around at the cliffs surrounding them as an idea filtered into his mind. " I think I accident may meet Guillaume very soon…very soon indeed!"

" No pressure, you guys," Jo grimaced, trying to pry Erensuge's claws away a little to make it easier to breathe. " But if you could think a _little_ quicker I would be very much obliged!"  
" We're working on it!" Amos called back. Jo sighed heavily before looking back at the dragon.  
" Ok…How many letters in the alphabet?" Jo asked quietly. She had been trying to keep Erensuge talking for as long as possible, watching as the others tried desperately the think of a riddle to free her and win them the crystal piece they needed.  
" Oh surely you can do better then that…" groaned Erensuge.  
" Go on then smart-arse…" Jo goaded, a knowing twinkle in her eyes that would have been enough to warn anyone that they were about to walk straight into something stupid.  
" There are 26 letters in the alphabet," sighed Erensuge. " And quite frankly, my young explorer, I'm disappointed in you…" Jo grinned. " What…?" The dragon asked firmly.  
" You're wrong." Jo replied simply.  
" I can assure I'm not, there are 26 letters in the alphabet," repeated Erensuge although there was a touch of impatience in his voice. " Would you like me to say the alphabet while you count…?" He added patronisingly. Jo merely smiled back as sweetly as she could.  
" My dear dragon, you will find that there are only 11 letters in the alphabet-" Jo started to explain.  
" What?" demanded Erensuge.  
" -I'll say them while you count…_if_ you can count that is," She couldn't resist added as she continued. " T, H, E, A, L, P, H, A, B, E and T…I think you'll find that makes 11!"  
" Doesn't count anyway…" Erensuge said with what Jo assumed was a smirk.  
" Why am I not surprised…" Jo muttered in a long-suffering tone. " And what's the reason this time…?"  
" Easy, a prize cannot riddle in order to win itself!" Erensuge said sniffily, pushing Jo tighter against the wall to prevent her immediate response. " Why you-!" She groaned quietly in the background as Erensuge continued.  
" So, have you thought of a riddle to win you both the freedom of you friend and the all important crystal…? Or shall they both remain with me?"  
" We have thought of many riddles," Amos shot back confidently, " We are merely trying to choose which one to use…"  
" In that case, and seeing as how the chances of any of them being enough to outwit me, I shall let each of you ask me a riddle…if any of you beat me, the crystal and our young explorer here will be yours."  
" Does that mean I get a go?" Jo asked brightly.  
" No," Erensuge replied firmly, almost glaring at her, and moving a claw so that it covered her mouth. " Now do be quiet, I've a feeling they're going to need to think without you putting them off!" Jo glared at him over the top of his claw. The dragon laughed. " How amusing it's going to be…I never had a pet before…!" He sighed before looking back at the other four. " So, who is to go first, I think it should be ladies first…" He inclined his head in Bertrande's direction who gasped slightly.  
" Great," she mumbled taking a half step forwards. " Very well, 'What falls but never breaks? What breaks but never falls?'" Bertrande offered hesitantly.  
" The night and the day," sighed the dragon, without a moment's thought and a definite tone of sheer boredom.  
" Correct." Bertrande hissed back through gritted teeth.  
Amos cleared his throat and stepped forwards, a look of pure determination on his face.  
" Alright then, try this one on for size…'What has a bed but never sleeps, What has a mouth but never speaks, Runs day and night but never gets tired?' what am I talking about?"  
There was the briefest of pauses in which Amos' heart pounded loudly in his ears.  
" A river," came the scathing response from the dragon, which almost made Amos' heart stop beating all together. " Two down, two to go…" Erensuge glanced at Jo, still held tightly behind one clawed foot. " I'm not sure if I'll keep your name, Jo is such an odd name for a pet don't you think…?" There was a stream of muffled noise that came out of Jo's mouth from behind his claw, although not a single word was discernable, the tone and the murderous look in her eyes let him know she didn't agree with him. " Come on then, it is the turn of the two men from Paris…" Erensuge all but yawned, turning to look back at them. " I'm waiting to be astounded gentlemen…although I think I'll be waiting until long after your departure for such a thing!"  
Phillipe took a deep and steadying breath before stating his riddle. " 'You can find us in darkness but never in light. We are present in daytime but absent at night. In the deepest of shadows, We hide in plain sight. What am I?'" Phillipe's pale gaze meeting that of the dragon squarely throughout.  
Erensuge's brow furrowed slightly, muttering parts of the riddle to himself quietly.  
" I think you'll find, it's the letter D," Erensuge answered, although not nearly as patronisingly as before. " A good attempt," The dragon conceded. " Now, my young baron," He address Marius. " Yours is the final attempt…let's see if you can manage a second win…"  
Marius narrowed his eyes up at the dragon and the others saw the closest thing to hatred that they had ever seen on the young scholars face.  
" Very well…" Marius grumbled. " Right, here goes…'I can sizzle like bacon, I am made with an egg, I have plenty of backbone, but lack a good leg, I peel layers like onions, but still remain whole, I can be long, like a flagpole, yet fit in a hole, What am I?'" Marius said slowly and carefully, obviously trying to avoid making any mistakes.  
A silence fell over the cave, all eyes on the dragon as he thought the riddle over.  
Jo's eyes flicked back and forth from the dragon to Marius and the others and back again.  
" Well…?" Marius asked after a moment or two, in which he was certain his heart had stopped beating.  
With a groan Erensuge allowed the crystal to drop from his claws, it rolled across the cave floor and came to rest at Marius' feet.  
" You have beaten me…" He said slowly, moving his clawed foot to finally set Jo free.  
" Woo hoo!" Jo shouted, leaping down to join the others.  
" But what, I beg you, was the solution to your riddle…?" Erensuge asked Marius.  
" I'm a snake!" Marius all but whooped.  
" Oh yeah!" Phillipe punched the air in what was a very un-Javert like gesture. To their astonishment the dragon laughed, very loudly.  
" A very good riddle and one I shall not forget in a hurry…"  
The others grinned and started to head out of the cave, Marius almost running out with the crystal held close against his chest. Jo was the last to leave.  
" Thank you for the crystal, Erensuge," Jo said in what she hoped was a respectful tone.  
" I shall not forget the wisdom of you and your friends," Erensuge's eyes sparkled despite the darkness. " And I would ask that you do not forget my name, in times of trouble, a dragon can sometimes be a useful friend to have." If Jo hadn't have convinced herself otherwise, she would have sworn that the dragon winked at her.  
" I shall believe and trust your thoughts and put hope in your friendship…and I shall not forget you," Jo winked back before following the others out of the cave.

" We got it!" Marius came practically skipping out of the cave, the crystal held tightly in his hands. Barely even noticing how the harsh sunlight hurt his eyes. Jo, Amos, Bertrande and Phillipe followed him, eyes scrunched up against the sun but definite smiles on their faces.  
" Oh well done!" Rosie enthused, hugging her husband tightly.  
" What kept you?" Smirked Guillaume, wrapping his own arms around Jo when she reached his side.  
" Oh nothing much," Jo grinned up, " Once we'd outwitted, sorry, once _Marius_ had outwitted the dragon it was plain sailing!"  
" Marius outwitted the _what_?" Guillaume exclaimed loudly while his hand, along with almost everybody else's, went to his sword as he turned back to face the cave's entrance. Almost as if he expected the creature to leap out of the shadows and devour them all.  
" A dragon," Jo repeated, sounding almost blasé about it.  
" You had did _what_?" Rosie demanded of Marius, her brown eyes wide and her hand gripping his tunic tightly. " Oh my god…are you alright…? Are any of you hurt…? What happened in there…?"  
" There was a dragon who was guarding the crystal and he required that we prove our worth to him through riddles and mind puzzles…" Phillipe explained.  
" And I'm assuming you did," Lina grinned.  
" We did indeed, or rather Marius did, eventually…although it wasn't as easy it might sound."  
" So, what was the winning riddle then Marius?" Martin called across.  
" In the end I used that one about a snake that Mithras told me back in Vaniria," Marius grinned, carefully putting the crystal into his pack and closing the leather straps over the bright sparkling stone.  
" S'better than what I would have said," Mark admitted with a grin.  
" Yeah…?" Jo asked, one eyebrow slightly raised.  
" What do Superman, Moses and the Cabbage Patch Kids have in common?"  
" Beats me," Jo shrugged after a moment's thought.  
" They were all adopted!" laughed Mark, drawing groans from Jo, Rosie, Jenny and Lucy. And rather confused glances from most of the others. " Never mind, I'll explain later…" Mark added to a rather bemused looking Bertrande.  
" How many did you use before you beat him…?" Glyndwr enquired.  
" Quite a few," Jo groaned in response. " But only 'cos he kept cheating and saying they didn't count when they _did_!"  
" Bitter much?" Lucy elbowed her friend in the ribs slightly.  
" It was actually quite hard to think of riddles and things at the time…guess the pressure of the situation didn't help," Amos added almost as an afterthought.  
" What pressure…?" Lina frowned. " Surely if you hadn't have thought of one you could have come out and we could have tried…"  
" Maybe…but what with him making us try and win Jo back as well as the crystal probably-" Phillipe started but was cut off.  
" 'Win Jo back'? '_Win Jo back_?" Guillaume yelped, spinning around to see Jo looking decided guilty. " And what the hell did Jo do to be lost in the first place…eh?" A dark eyebrow rose onto his forehead and it was all Jo could to do squirm in discomfort.  
" Well…I, er…it was like this…" Jo took Guillaume's hand and led him to the side slightly to try and explain.  
" I bet I could have thought of one to beat him," Aradia mused.  
" Oh you think so?" Bertrande quickly shot back. " And I suppose you could think of one right now could you?"  
The princess paused for the briefest of moments.  
" 'A dozen Royals gathered round, Entertained by two who clowned. Each King there had servants ten, Though none of them were also men. The lowest servant sometimes might, Defeat the King in a fair fight. A weapon stout, a priceless jewel, The beat of life, a farmer's tool. What am I talking about?'" Aradia reeled off clearly.  
" I suppose you could then…" Bertrande murmured quietly.  
" Well…?" The princess asked, a sparkle shining in her lilac eyes.  
" A night in at the castle?" giggled Lucy.  
" No," Aradia replied almost petulantly.  
" So tell us Princess…" Glyndwr asked quietly. " We are dying to know the answer…" Aradia paused before replying, searching the Meander's face briefly for signs of mockery but was surprised to find none.  
" Well…it's a deck of cards…" She said softly.  
" Oh yeah…" groaned the others after thinking it over in their own minds. Glyndwr smiled and said quietly.  
" Here's one for you, 'What is red and blue, and purple and green? No one can reach it, not even the queen?'"  
" I don't know," Aradia answered honestly.  
" The rainbow," Glyndwr winked with a rakish grin. Which, to her great surprise, Aradia returned..  
" Wow, so how many crystals is that now…?" Martin smiled broadly. " Seven?"  
" _Eight_!" Marius corrected, squeezing Rosie's hand in his.  
" Not bad eh? For a bunch of students, an ex cop, some peasants, a James Dean wannabe, an apostle, a princess, a Meander and a warrior with wings!" laughed Lucy.  
" Not bad," admitted Dedra with a wry grin as he glanced over at Jo and Guillaume, adding with a quiet, but heavy sigh, " Not bad at all…"  
" Can't be many more to get now surely…?" Guillaume wondered softly, taking Jo in his arms.  
" I'm sure there's only a couple more. Eight down…" Jo grinned at him as he hugged her tightly. " Eight down!"  
" Just one question…" Guillaume asked rather cautiously.  
" Yeah?"  
" What pray tell _is_ a 'Cabbage Patch Kid'?"  
Jo winced at the thought of trying to explain and instead opted for another riddle.  
" Try thinking about this one first…" She smiled. " 'I am just two and two. I am hot. I am cold. I am the parent of numbers that cannot be told. I am a gift beyond measure, a matter of course. I am given with pleasure when taken by force. What am I?'"  
Guillaume's dark eyebrows knitted together as he repeated the riddle to himself.  
" Don't know…tell me…" He asked with a shrug.  
" This…" Jo smiled back knowingly, placing her arms around his neck, lifting herself up onto her tiptoes and kissing him.


	40. PART 76

The group camped next to the caves that night and when morning came they packed up and started on their way again. They were travelling back through the desert, heading North towards the plains once more. Dedra and Glyndwr had found them a lightly less hostile path so now  
" Ow…"  
rather than walking straight across the sands, they were walking along a series of rocky gorges that lay along the western side of the desert where there was an almost constant breeze and " Ow…"  
the whole atmosphere was a lot less  
" Oooh, it stings…"  
oppressive. Although this relaxed,  
" Ow…"  
calm,  
" Ooh it hurts…"  
atmosphere didn't apply to everything and everyone.  
" This really hurts you know!"  
" Yes, we _know_ Simon," Lucy groaned.  
" We've been listening to you telling us _all morning_," Bertrande chipped in.  
" And if I hear you say one more word about it, so help me Horus, I'll bloody kill you!" Lina threatened.  
Simon pouted for a moment.  
" But it hurts…" He said meekly.  
" Yes, I've heard that about sunburn…" Rosie said sarcastically.  
Simon had woken up that morning to find his entire chest, arms, face and from his knees down where he had rolled up his trousers were bright red with sun burn, the skin painfully tight.  
As such their progress was quite slow and punctuated regularly by Simon's groans of discomfort and the groans of the others' increasing annoyance with him.  
" I _told_ you not to lie there…" Lina said, although most of the harshness had faded from her voice as she looked at her husband's pained expression. " But would you listen to me, no, you knew best…"  
Martin and Guillaume exchanged a mischievous look and a grin.  
" Any chance of taking a quick _comfort_ break?" Martin said as innocently as he could, taking sheer delight out of Simon's expression as he stressed the word 'comfort' ever so slightly.  
" Yeah…sure, seems as good a place as any to stop!" Jo's voice came back to them from the head of the group.  
The group collapsed down amongst the rocks and boulders along the edge of the gorge they had been following for the last hour or so as it twisted and turned its way north, sipping eagerly from their water bottles and fanning themselves in the heat. Jo wandered further along the pathway they were following and then returned, approaching Simon with something in her hand.  
" Here…" Jo handed it over. " This should help ease your sunburn a little…"  
" Yeah?" Simon asked hopefully before looking down at what she had laid in his hand. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and his blue eyes glittered with surpressed anger as he looked back up at her. " Jo just how stupid do you think I am?" he declared loudly. Jo looked completely shocked before grinning slightly.  
" Do you really want me to answer that…?" She murmured as Simon continued on his rant.  
" Because I'd have to be pretty dumb to think that rubbing this on my sun burn would ease it in any way!" He yelled, holding up the piece of cactus she had given him.  
" You would have to be pretty dumb this is true," Jo sighed, kneeling beside him and taking the cactus out of his fingers. " But a clever person would do this…" With that she pulled his dagger from it's sheath and carefully cut along a vein on the plant. A thick milky coloured liquid flowed out of the cut Jo had made and she quickly took Simon's hand, " Quick, rub some onto your skin…"  
" If this is a trick…" Simon started, still resisting.  
" Just do it!" Jo said firmly. With a slight pout, Simon dipped his fingers in to the liquid and then, very gingerly, rubbed it onto his nose, which had been throbbing for the past two hours. To his amazement the cool liquid soothed the stinging sensation.  
" But what…? I don't understand," He frowned slightly, first at the cactus, then at Jo.  
" Just rub that onto your skin and then when it starts to hurt again, we'll find another plant…ok?" Jo smiled, standing back up.  
" Ok," Simon grinned, " Thanks Jo…"  
" No worries Simon just be more careful next time!" Jo rolled her eyes and wandered back towards the very edge of the gorge, lifting her face into the breeze.  
" Water…?" Guillaume appeared by her side, holding up his water filled skin.  
" Ooh, yes please," Jo smiled, taking it and enjoying a large drink from it.  
" How many more crystals do we have to get now…?" He asked, before taking back the water and having a sip himself.  
" Well, according to the map, there's one at the ruins of Aesina and one marked in the swamplands, which I think we can safely assume Obsequious will have gotten his greedy little mitts onto, so just two more." Jo glanced up into his face. " Well, only two more that we know about."  
" What do you mean?"  
" There were two in Crystallia that we knew nothing about, remember…?"  
" Oh yeah…" Guillaume frowned slightly. " So I take it we're heading for Aesina…or rather what's left of it."  
" Looks like our best plan, get the crystal from there and take the opportunity to rest a bit…" Jo explained.  
" And then…" Guillaume hesitated. " Then we'll be going East…won't we…?"  
" I guess so," Jo's voice was quiet.  
" And when we get there…?" Guillaume found himself biting his lip slightly.  
Jo looked out over the desert in thought for a moment, a serious expression on her face.  
" I don't know…but I think I can safely say that whatever we've faced so far, will be nothing compared to what Obsequious will have lined up for us there," Jo sighed, pushing some hair back from her face. " He's not going to give up easily."  
" Probably not but-" Guillaume glanced down at the floor and froze.  
" But what…?" Jo asked.  
" Jo…I don't want to frighten you but…don't…move…"  
" Why…?" Jo glanced at him, her eyes slightly wider than they had been before. " Why…what is it?"  
" Well," Guillaume began just before the air was pierced by a scream from the others. " There's a snake, and it's right behind you!"  
" There's a _what_?" Jo exclaimed whirling around and freezing suddenly.  
A long, black, cobra-like snake was slithering slowly through the sand towards them.  
" What the hell-? Where did _that_ come from…?" Guillaume edged back slightly, away from the snake, hissing angrily at them.  
Jo remained motionless.  
" Maybe you disturbed it or something…?" Mark suggested, visibly wincing as he watched it's long, dark body slide back and forth across the sand and stone.  
" I think you two should come back over here…" Jenny urged.  
" Yeah…good idea…" Guillaume agreed quickly, moving further away from the snake. " Come on Jo…"  
Jo didn't move as the snake slithered between her and the rest of the group, stopping in front of her and raising it's head up. Hissing louder than before.  
" Jo…hello Jo…?" Guillaume called, before laughing slightly. " I really don't think there's any need for you to stand there, we all know how brave you are," A ripple of laughter passed amongst the others as Guillaume held out his hand to her. " Come on…you really should move…"  
Jo stood in silence a moment longer before moving. But to Guillaume's shock and slight horror, it was a move away from him and towards the gorge. Her eyes fixed on the snake.  
" Jo…?" Guillaume repeated, a little louder with definitely more panic than there had been before.  
" What's she doing…?" Aradia asked quietly as they watched Jo take another step towards the cliff edge, following the snake along the top of the gorge.  
" Jo!" Phillipe called across but Jo it seemed couldn't hear him as she stepped again towards the edge of the gorge.  
" It's that bloody snake!" Mark exclaimed.  
" What?" Guillaume demanded.  
" Well look at her, she's not taken her eyes off it since it appeared, it's got her…I dunno…hypnotised…or something!"  
" We can't just stand here and watch it lead her over the edge!" Bertrande cried out.  
" You're right!" Guillaume said firmly as he took a deep breath. With a short run up, Guillaume leapt over the snake and, taking hold of her shoulders tightly, flung Jo back towards the others where she was caught by Marius. She shook her head a few times before casting a confused look at Marius and the others.  
" What…why am I over here…? What's wrong?" Jo frowned.  
" Don't you remember the snake?" Marius frowned, still holding her in his arms.  
" Snake? What snake?" Jo exclaimed before turning to look back at Guillaume and gasping as she watched him dodging a large, black snake on the ground.  
" _That_ snake!" Rosie whispered, gasping as Guillaume jumped up into the air as the snake darted towards his ankles, it's mouth open to reveal a set of dangerous looking fangs.  
" Guillaume be careful…!" Jo called out as he landed awkwardly, less than a foot from the edge of the gorge.  
" I'll be ok…" He yelled back, jumping up again as the snake practically threw itself at his feet. Guillaume's feet just moved out of the way in time for the snake to miss them and go flying over the edge of the gorge. Guillaume landed with a thump, right on the cliff's edge.  
" See, I told you I'd be alri-!" Guillaume grinned back before a noise wiped the grin from his face and seemed to drain most of the colour from it too. There was a definite crumbling noise from beneath his feet. Guillaume swallowed and looked down just in time to watch a crack in the ground spread around where he stood and suddenly start to grow, his body refusing to cooperate with him and move. " Oh sh-!" He yelled, panic suddenly allowing his body to move again, but just as he lifted his foot to move away, the ground fell from beneath him.

" Guillaume! No…!" Jo screamed, darting forwards and breaking free from Marius' hold. Guillaume wobbled back and forth for what seemed forever before there was a definite scuffing noise as his boot slipped off the edge of the cliff and he began to fall. Jo screamed and fell back into Marius' arms, this time she'd fainted. Guillaume's eyes danced around wildly as he started to fall, desperately trying to find something, _anything_ he could use to save himself. Then he felt it. As his arms flailed uselessly in the air he hit something with his hand. Instinct made him grab hold of it before turning his head to see what was now holding him in what felt like mid-air. " Aitor?" He gasped, holding tightly onto the sandy-haired man's arm.  
In that moment where Guillaume clung from Dedra's out stretched arm, time seemed to slow right down. A concerned group had gathered around Marius as he lay Jo on the floor and tried to bring her around, almost leaving Dedra and Guillaume alone. Obsequious' words were echoing round and round in Dedra's head while Guillaume hung from his hand.  
_'…should Guillaume meet with an accident…'_  
This would be the ideal opportunity to do it.  
_'…meet with an accident…_  
He would be completely blameless, he'd be able to blame it on sweaty palms due to the heat and nerves.  
_'…an accident…'_  
Dedra looked back to Guillaume, his usually tanned face seemed deathly pale with shock and fear and his dark brown eyes were alive with something more than being just afraid. He was terrified.  
_"It was an accident…"_  
And yet there was something in those eyes that stayed Dedra's hand, made him freeze and his skin ripple with gooseflesh.  
_" It was an accident…there was nothing I could do…"_  
The mantra inside his head changed and it felt as if the world did too as Dedra was plunged back into a memory he vowed he'd never visit again…

_He could see the garden as if it were surrounding him at that very moment, almost smell the scent of the Temple-tree flowers wafting on the evening breeze.  
The sun was setting gradually in the west and the light in the garden was soft, he could still see how it had highlighted her hair when she'd been sat on the stone bench when he's found her. She had been waiting. Not for him, he'd known that. But she had been waiting. She had turned, an expectant smile on her face that had faded, ever so slightly, when she had seen that it had only been him.  
" Oh, Dee, it's you," She'd smiled with a slight sigh, sitting back down on the bench. " I was expecting it to be…" Another sigh "…Anyway, how are you…?"  
He __**had**__ planned what he was going to say, but at that moment, with her in front of him and the awful truth hanging heavily around his shoulders, he hadn't been able to think of a single thing to say, choosing instead to just sit down beside her. His head hung and his mouth dry.  
" Dee…? Dee, what's wrong?" She'd asked, placing a hand on his arm.  
That was when he'd first felt tears pricking at the back of his eyes and a painful sensation growing in his throat.  
" There's…there's been an accident…" He'd somehow managed to mumble.  
" Oh no!" She'd gasped, squeezing his arm slightly. " What happened? Are there many people hurt?"  
" It was down at the gorge."  
" Oh my…"  
" Someone…someone slipped and fell…" He'd paused looking up at the sky, which was in the middle of changing from the bright blue of day through the darker blue of dusk. " They've died…"  
" Do they know who it was…?" She'd asked, concern ringing in her voice. It was as she said those words that the first tears fell from his eyes.  
He'd nodded.  
" Well…who…who was it Dee?" Suddenly her voice had changed, there was a tremble that hadn't been there before.  
She had reached across and taken hold of his chin, turning his face to look at her.  
" You have to tell me, who was it Dee?"  
" It…it was…it was William, Ju…"  
A silence then descended on the garden as her eyes suddenly sparkled with tears which had then fallen as she'd shaken her head.  
" No, no you're wrong…He's…He's coming here…he's meeting me here…"  
" He's not coming," He'd managed to croak.  
" No…there's been a mistake…" She'd continued.  
" Ju…I was there…" He had whispered, aching inside as he watched her world falling apart at his words. " It was an accident…there was nothing I could do…"  
He had winced inside as he had said those words ~ he had seen William's eyes in his mind, accusing and full of fear and confusion as he'd fallen…fallen back…arm's flailing in the air as he had just stood and watched…Reaching out all too late to pull him back ~ feeling the feeling of discomfort grow as he watched the tears welling up in her eyes once more.  
" No…no, it can't be…" She shook her head again, as if it would somehow awaken her from the nightmare he had just plunged her into. " He can't be…he just __**can't**__ be…"  
He'd gathered her up in his arms, feeling and listening to her sobbing against him. His own tears falling unchecked as she wept for the love he had taken from her.  
" But what…what do I do now…? How do I live without him?" She'd cried whilst in his arms, before pushing him away and standing up, rather wobbily. " I…I have to go…I…I need time to think…"  
Suddenly it had dawned on him that she had only been pushed further away from him by what had happened.  
" But Ju…I…" He had reached out, standing up himself, his hand gently squeezing her arm. How he had thought a simple movement of his hand would some how convey everything he was feeling inside he would never understand but it was all he could think of. His eyes looked as deeply into hers as he dared. Her tear stained face looked back, desolation and confusion shining in her tear bright eyes. With a slight frown and a quiet sigh she had gently pulled her arm away.  
" Dee…I can't…I just can't…not now…" She managed between her sobs, 'not ever' he heard a cruel voice whispering in his heart. She'd then turned and run off amongst the roses.  
With that she was gone, he was alone.  
All of a sudden the birds were no longer singing, the still and warm evening air felt cold and suffocating and all of a sudden…he was crying…  
He had lost her…_He would not lose that again, he would not lose Jo in the same way.

There was a sudden yank on his arm as the crumbling stone and sand beneath Guillaume's boot finally gave way and he fell.  
With a superhuman effort Dedra pulled back and hauled Guillaume back over the edge and back to safety.  
The two men stood facing each other, both bent over slightly, chests heaving from fear, adrenalin and exertion.  
" You…you just…" Guillaume stammered after a moment or two passed, gesturing vaguely at the gorge.  
" I know…" Dedra gasped back, standing up and reaching up to brush the sweat from his brow.  
" I could've…" Guillaume swallowed nervously.  
" I know," Dedra repeated, his voice quiet.  
" But why…?" Guillaume frowned, standing himself, tipping his head inquisitively on one side.  
" Does it matter…?" Dedra asked, raising a sandy eyebrow slightly.  
" I…I guess not…" Guillaume admitted, his face breaking into a smile that Dedra had never before seen directed at him. He took a step forwards and offered a hand. " I guess…I mean…thank you…"  
There was a brief hesitation before Dedra took the Artigtian's hand and shook it.  
" You're welcome," He said, a smile forming on his own lips.  
" Thank you," Guillaume repeated, as he released Dedra's hand, turning as a groan came from the direction of the others.  
" Jo's coming round I think…" Marius called over as Guillaume made his way to her side, leaving Dedra standing on his own.  
Jo eyes opened and tears instantly sprang to them as she saw Guillaume knelt beside her. She threw her arms around him and hugged him so tightly he was made to wince.  
" Oh I thought I'd lost you," She exclaimed, letting him go slightly, just enough to see his face before hugging him close again.  
" Well, I'm glad to see you too…" Guillaume whispered. " But you're going to lose me again in a minute unless you let me get some air…!"  
" Oh sorry…" Jo gasped as she quickly let go. Guillaume helped her to her feet. " But…you were falling, I saw you…what happened…?" A slight frown creased her brow.  
" All credit goes to Aitor…" Guillaume smiled. " If he hadn't reached out and held on…I'd be down there somewhere…"  
Jo turned to look at Dedra who now looked like an embarrassed child, his cheeks flushing as his gaze focused firmly on the sandy and rock beneath their feet.  
" It was nothing…honestly, I just-" He mumbled before being cut off mid stream as Jo marched over and threw her arms around him, as she had done to Guillaume moment's earlier, her head against his chest as she held him tightly.  
" Thank you, thank you so much…" Jo sighed. Dedra hesitated for a moment, out of shock and uncertainty, before allowing his arms to move and hug her back.  
" It's ok…" He murmured, letting his hand stroke down her back along her hair.  
Jo looked up at him and smiled brightly.  
"I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost him…how can I ever thank you…?"  
" You…you don't need to thank me," Dedra murmured, trying to ignore how her closeness was making him, nervous was the wrong word but the symptoms were the same, his heart was speeding up and he was sure he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck and along his arms prickling up. Jo smiled again before quickly rising up onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek before going back to Guillaume's side.  
" Well, if the drama is over for this little break, may I suggest we move on?" Glyndwr smirked.  
" Sounds like a plan to me!" Jo grinned.  
They set off again, Simon's complaints greatly lessened, following the gorge northwards.  
After another couple of hours, as the sun had passed it's height and started to descend towards the horizon the group found themselves at the foot of some large hills. They had seen them coming for miles, first as a thick line on the horizon. Gradually growing as they had gotten closer and closer.  
" You don't want us to climb them, do you?" Amos had asked, exhausted.  
" No, I'm sure there'll be a way around them," Jo had smiled.  
They walked along the hills, heading vaguely westward until they came to a valley between two of the hills, covered with trees.  
" See," Jo said with a sigh. " Told you there'd be a way round!"  
With that, they headed into the trees. They hadn't travelled far before the denseness of the forest, combined with the ever fading sunlight as dusk approached, meant that torches were needed. So they cut down some branches and through a combination of the flint they'd gathered and Jo's abilities, they soon had created several torches to light their way.  
They walked onwards for a few more miles before they were brought to a very sudden halt.  
" Did…did you see that…?" Martin stammered slightly from his position near the front of the group.  
" See what?" Jo groaned.  
" There…there in the bushes…I'm sure I saw some eyes in there…"  
Jo scanned the bushes, one hand going instinctively to her sword.  
" Well, there's nothing there now, so why don't we just-" Jo had started before a yelp of fear from Lucy had stopped her.  
" I saw them! They were right there!" She cried.  
Lina edged her way towards the front of the group, her dagger already in her hand.  
" There's definitely something there, I can sense it," The winged warrior said darkly.  
" Oh well that's reassuring," Aradia whispered.  
Suddenly the bushes in front of them moved and they all saw a pair of large eyes flash in the torch light. A very loud and very scary growl emanated from in amongst the leaves and the friends froze as the Princess continued quietly,  
" And that doesn't sound good."

" What…what do you suppose it is…?" Jenny whispered.  
" Could be anything," Glyndwr hissed back with a slight shrug. " The forests of the south are rumoured to be the home of many strange creatures…" " L-l-like what?" Amos asked rather shakily.  
" You know…lions…regits…bears…"  
" Oh my…" Aradia gasped, cowering behind Glyndwr slightly.  
" Why am I not surprised…" Jo groaned.  
The bushes growled again and there was a loud rustling as whatever it was moved towards them.  
" Ok…" Jo gulped. " Whatever it is…as soon as it comes out of these bushes…" She drew her sword slowly. " We get it…got it…?"  
" G-g-got it," Mark stammered, holding his own sword tightly.  
" Another gasp ran around them all as the bushes' rustling increased and the eyes moved even closer.  
Then the creature pounced. There was a flash of fur as it launched itself from amongst the leaves and made straight for Lina. Her dagger hit the ground as she was knocked from her feet.  
" Lina!" Simon yelled, practically leaping at the creature that seemed to be mauling his wife.  
" No! No Simon wait!" Lina's rather muffled voice called out just as Simon lifted his dagger above his head behind the creature's back.  
" Wait?" Simon exclaimed, almost dropping the dagger in surprise. " What on earth for?"  
" Just bring a torch over here, will you! Quick!" Lina demanded, her voice stifled by the creature who still lay upon her.  
Simon, cursing loudly, snatched a torch from one of the others and thrust it towards her.  
Then there was another gasp from everyone, however this wasn't a gasp of fear but a gasp of surprise and recognition. Laid on top of Lina, licking her face eagerly, was Billabong.  
The large regit leapt from Lina upon spotting the others and bounded happily amongst them, rubbing against their legs, practically knocking them from their feet in doing so. Purring loudly as one by one they scratched behind his ears and stroked their hands down his soft coat.  
" Oh Billabong, we've missed you," Jo grinned, scratching him under his chin.  
" I told you he knew his way!" Lina laughed as Simon pulled her to her feet.  
" Didn't doubt it for a moment!" giggled Bertrande as Billabong flopped onto his back at her feet, his large golden eyes looking up, practically demanding a belly rub for being so clever. Just as Bertrande was reaching down to oblige him Billabong's eyes moved across the faces of those stood around him and they fell on Dedra. The regit's eyes narrowed and the loud purring swiftly changed into a quiet growl. Mark snatched Bertrande's hand away just as Billabong flipped over onto his front and stood facing Dedra, the fur between his shoulder blades and just above his tail stood up on end as he growled menacingly.  
Dedra swallowed slowly.  
" Billabong…?" Lina frowned slightly. " I've…I've never seen him like this…"  
" He…he probably just doesn't remember me," Dedra tried to sound calm but a nasty voice in his head whispering that maybe the animal just remembered him _too well_ wouldn't let his body stop shaking.  
After a few more moments spent glaring at Dedra, Billabong's growling stopped, it ended with a gruff kind of noise, almost like an annoyed huff before turning away from him and returning to Lina's side.  
The group carried on, Billabong now leading the group through the forest. After another hour or so they found themselves in a small clearing, looking up they could see the first few stars piercing the night sky. Small smiles flitting across most of their faces as their eyes sought out and found L'étoiles were shining down upon them.  
In the middle of the clearing was a large boulder with a smooth, fairly flat top to it. Jo wondered over to it and carefully laid a hand upon it, frowning slightly.  
" What is…?" Lucy asked hesitantly, watching as Jo's frown grew slightly.  
" Something about this place…it seems…I dunno…" Jo let her fingers run over the top of the large stone. " Like I've been here before…"  
Jo frowned, glancing at the others, all of whom looked decidedly confused.  
" But you can't have done…we certainly didn't come this way, did we?" Guillaume said gently.  
" No…no we didn't," Jo admitted, her hand still resting on the stone.  
" It is a strange sort of clearing though…especially with that rock in the middle like that…" Lucy mused.  
" Yeah, how'd a thing like that get way into the forest?" Amos thought aloud.  
Jo was still stood next to the boulder, desperately going through in her mind to try and find out why she felt this strange place was so familiar.  
A hush fell over the group as Jo pondered in silence next to the boulder.  
" Hey…has anyone seen Martin?" Lucy asked quietly, glancing around.  
" He was right behind us wasn't he…?" Marius said with a slight frown.  
" Well, where's he got t-?" Lucy started.  
" Boo!" Martin yelled, leaping out of the bushes behind them and causing several of the friends to gasp and Billabong to roll his lamp like eyes.  
" Martin! Why couldn't you just have said 'Hello' like a normal person? Why do you insist on frightening the life out of people?" Amos demanded, clutching at his chest in a dramatic way.  
" Because I'm…" Martin started but it was Jo who finished his statement.  
" Because she's good at it…" Jo murmured, her face slightly distant.  
" _She_?" Martin exclaimed but Jo wasn't listening. As Amos had spoken it was as if a chill had filled the air around her. Sending a shiver along her spine and tingle to spread across her skin.  
" It…it can't be!" Jo's eyes grew wide as she turned away from the others, paused momentarily and then ran into the trees.  
" Jo?" Guillaume yelled, chasing after her. Immediately followed by everyone else. " Jo where are you going?"  
" I don't know!" Jo's voice came back through the trees to them as they ran after her.  
" Jo? Jo would you _please_ slow down?" Rosie yelled but Jo had already streaked ahead, vanishing amongst the trees and bushes into the darkness. " Just great…" Rosie tutted as the rest of them hurried after her. " What the hell's gotten into her now!"  
Jo ran as quickly as her legs would carry her, dodging low branches and leaping over roots. Tree and bushes flashing past as she flew through the forest. Something was leading her onwards, it was as if she was chasing a shadow. A shadow from a dream.  
Breaking through the trees and bushes into the open air once more Jo came to an abrupt halt, her mouth open in wonder and surprise.  
Rising up before her was a wall and directly in front of her was a large archway. Her heart stopped beating for a second as she stepped forward to lay a hand on the pale stone.  
_"Well if you change your mind…you know where we are…" Ra had offered, gently squeezing Ju's shoulder._  
" 'Yeah…I know where you are…'" Jo whispered to herself as she smiled, stroking the stone gently.  
" Blimey…!" Lucy's gasp alerted Jo to the arrival of the others.  
" What…what is this place…?" Marius murmured.  
" It's Aesina…" Jo turned with a strange kind of half smile on her face. " We've found it."

A few hours later, as the moon rose slowly through the night sky, the friends had almost set up a makeshift camp. Next to the walls lay a lake, which they had practically leapt into upon its discovery, desperate to wash away all the dust and sand from the desert. The water, according to Glyndwr, wasn't drinkable, least of all after they had all bathed in it. But a spring he found close by was and so the friends had been able to refill their practically empty water skins. Some brief exploration had revealed various edible plants and fruit bearing trees next to the walls. Glyndwr had vanished back into the forest almost as soon as they'd started to set up their camp muttering something about dinner. The friends had exchanged confused glances but when he returned an hour or so later with six large rabbits in his hands, the glances became ones of happiness and excitement. It was only then they realised just how hungry they all were.  
Guillaume, Jo and Glyndwr started preparing the rabbits for cooking whilst the others set about fetching wood for a fire and washing clothes in the lake. Rosie, Marius, Aradia, Lina and Simon decided to try and create some kind of shelter. Phillipe, upon discovering there was little else to do, was studying the map carefully, trying to plot the safest and easiest course from Aesina to the Swamplands, Dedra offered to help him and after a moment or two's deliberation Phillipe agreed. After all, he knew little of the land himself, any help had to be better than none at all. Even if such help did come from a slightly questionable source. Martin, Lucy, Mark and Bertrande headed into the woods to find wood for the fire and any larger pieces that could be used for the shelter. While Amos and Jenny settled themselves by the lake to begin to wash peoples clothes and blankets.  
That night, sat around a large campfire, the friends enjoyed their first proper meal since leaving Vivons. The rabbit stew Jo, Guillaume and Glynwdr had made was warm and filling and the large pot was quickly finished. The yawning started not long after they had finished eating, the good food coupled with the heat from the fire and their exhaustion served to make them all very sleepy. They gathered their blankets, which had been warming next to the fire and all settled down to sleep.  
Jo had been asleep for about an hour when she was woken by something. Frowning slightly she sat up and scanned the nearby forest's edge for any signs of immediate danger. She found none. Her gaze drifted across the others, all fast asleep, and then she spotted a lone figure down by the lake. Noticing an empty blanket beside hers Jo guessed it was Guillaume. She stood and, wrapping her own blanket around her shoulders, made her way over to him.  
" Couldn't you sleep…?" She asked quietly, appearing by his side.  
" Not really…" Guillaume admitted, reaching back to take her hand in his and pull her next to him. They stood at the edge of the lake, looking out across it's still waters in silence for a while. The moon's pale light shining down upon them. Jo was stood in front of Guillaume, her head resting against his chest with her arms around his waist, his own arms were around her shoulders.  
"What you thinking about…?" Jo murmured, snuggling against his shoulder.  
" About what happened, back at the gorge." Guillaume replied with a slight shiver.  
" I'm not surprised!" Jo looked up at him. " It looked pretty scary from where I was standing…"  
" Well it _was_ pretty scary," He half laughed, holding her close against his chest. " I've never known fear quite like it..." He sighed slightly as he felt Jo hug him tighter. But what Guillaume couldn't bring himself to tell Jo was that the fear, as new and as frightening as it had been, had chilled him to the bone with it's familiarity. Something about the experience had frightened Guillaume more than he could ever say, because he was certain he had been there before. Fallen before. When no one had held him back.  
They stood like for a little while longer before the chill in the night air got the better of them and forced them to join the others around the fire. Soon, Jo and Guillaume were both asleep, their fingers still entwined as they dreamed.


	41. PART 77

As the sun rose, the friends stood before what had once been the great castle and city of Aesina. Twin to Vaniria and yet, somehow, totally different.  
The castle was largely intact and, apart from sections of the city's wall, was all that remained of Aesina.  
The castle had been built at the bottom of one of the steeper slopes, backing onto the edge of the forest and looking out over a large lake. The slope and woods had the same reddish tinge to them that all the plants that they had seen in the south had had.

They clambered up a slight hill and into the ruins themselves. A silence was in the air, even the sound of the lake and the noises from the forest's birds seemed to have stopped.  
The friends walked through a sizeable gap in the wall of what they assumed had once been the castle wall. On the other side were several smaller walls around them and, looking up, various parts of architecture remained to show where the upper levels of the castle would have been. Walking further they found themselves surrounded by plants, overgrown and wild.  
" It's so sad," Lucy murmured as they stood in amongst the overgrown roses and other bushes.  
" This was a garden once," Aradia said, gently plucking a lilac rose from a nearby vine that had started to climb up one of the ruined walls.  
" Mmm…what's that lovely smell…?" Rosie asked, wandering across the 'garden' with her nose slightly up in the air.  
The others sniffed and sighed as they inhaled the same sweet perfume.  
" It's the Temple tree's flowers," Dedra almost whispered.  
" Yeah, that's it," Jo took a deep breath as the friends wandered over to a tree in what had been the corner of the 'garden' and looked up into it's branches to see hundreds of small white flowers, which upon closer inspection were made of five fairly pointed petals which were a warm, sunny yellow in the centre with white around the edges. Many had fallen onto the ground and were quickly scooped up in people's hands to hold against their noses. Billabong snuffled amongst the fallen blossoms, purring slightly.  
" That smell is wonderful," Bertrande sighed, smelling the flower in her hand deeply before holding it out to Mark to smell.  
" It's familiar though," Jenny admitted. " Can I have smelt this before…? I mean, before the Gyratories I mean…?"  
" Of course you could," Jo grinned. " It's Frangipani…or at least that's what we call it back home…" She took another deep breath of the flower's fragrance again with a happy expression on her face. " They're used in all sorts of things, perfumes, soaps…that kind of thing, I think they're good for moisturising too," Jo threw a glance at Simon who frowned slightly.  
" What are you looking at me for?" He pouted.  
" I thought maybe we could use them to make something to put on your skin, you're burns may have gone down but in a day or two…you're going to be peeling mate!" Jo giggled as Simon gasped and rubbed his skin gingerly.  
" I'm sure they're used in cooking too you know…" Mark added.  
" That's Frangipane you're thinking of," Lucy grinned. "Pastry with an almond cream filling…"  
" Oh yeah," Mark grinned, licking his lips sub-consciously.  
" Why is it called 'Temple-tree' though…?" Marius glanced over to Dedra who was holding a blossom very carefully in his hands.  
" Huh?" He looked up nervously. " Sorry, what did you say?"  
" The flowers, and the tree…why did you call it the Temple-tree…?"  
" They were traditionally grown in the gardens of Temples…the scent was said to be calming, aided meditation and prayer," Dedra relayed smoothly.  
" How'd you know that…?" Glyndwr frowned slightly.  
" Oh it's amazing what you pick up over the years," Dedra shot the Meander a glance before wandering away from him.  
The friends left the 'garden' behind and wandered out into what looked like it might once have been the main entrance into the castle. The remains of a large ornate arch still curved overhead and led out onto a series of stone steps. Slightly crumbled and out of place but still very grand. Looking down they could see what had been the main town of Aesina. Lots of piles of rubble, loosely piled in square and oblong groups. Some with timber jutting out, others with material poking out from between the stones and dust.  
" What happened here…?" Amos breathed after the friends had stood for a moment or two in silence.  
" Incubus," Lina said flatly, her bright blue eyes sad. " His troops raided the city and when they didn't find what they were looking for they…" Her voice tailed off, gesturing to the crumbled walls around them and the ruined buildings before them, the stones black in places from the flames of fires set burning years before.  
" …They destroyed it," Aradia finished quietly before continuing. " This was my home," The Princess' lilac eyes were slightly downcast and her tone distressed, " The home of my family, my friends…my _people_…and they ruined it all…" She sniffed slightly and a tear rolled down her cheek. " And for what…?" She looked up as she felt a consolatory hand on her shoulder. To her surprise, it was Jo's.  
" I can't be easy for you," Jo began gently, " But I believe everything, no matter how good or bad, happens for a reason."  
Aradia blinked back further tears as she looked at Jo, confusion and the slightest tinge of anger on her face.  
" What _possible_ reason could there have been for _so_ much destruction?"  
There was a pause, everyone held their breath slightly as Jo thought and tried to find an answer.  
" You have to see the sun set, watch the death of a day before you can see a dawn and a new beginning come," Jo said quietly causing the others to look at her.  
" Wow, Jo…that was pretty deep," Lucy nodded. " But…but I think I speak for nearly all of us when I say…huh?"  
" She means…something has to end before it can begin again." Aradia smiled softly, nodding her head slightly at Jo, placing her own hand on top of Jo's. " Thank you."  
" S'ok, Dia." Jo grinned warmly as the friends continued their exploration, "It'll all be ok."

" Found anything good?" Jo called as the others approached their camp, outside the city walls, an hour or so later.  
They had all decided that splitting up and searching would be a much better and more efficient way of checking out the castle, the city and it's surrounding areas.  
Rosie, Marius, Simon, Lina, Phillipe, Glyndwr and Dedra had gone to search the forest, hoping daylight might help them find more supplies. But other than more rabbits and vegetables, they'd found nothing too interesting.  
The others had gone further into the castle's ruins and out into the ruined city of Aesina itself.  
" We found some materials and things in a ruined shed out in the city," Jenny grinned. " Including these…" She and Amos collectively flung seven sacks onto the ground.  
Rosie picked up the nearest one to her and opened it pulling out a large, oblong shaped expanse of material.  
" Bedding? You found a _duvets_?" She asked bemused. " Great if we were starting up out own bed and breakfast but we're on a _quest_, Jenny, we don't even have _beds_ to put them onto!"  
Jenny rolled her eyes before tipping out the rest of the contents of the sack and several poles and ropes hit the ground.  
" They're not duvets, Rosie, they're…!"  
" Oh…Tents!" Rosie grinned as realisation dawned. " Cool!"  
" And we found an old weapons store," Martin offered as he and Lucy unloaded the several bows and full quivers that they had found.  
" There were swords and shields and helmets too…you name it…it was there, but this was all we could carry for now," Lucy said, straightening up and pushing back her long curls.  
" Don't suppose they had any bullets for this…?" Simon asked hopefully, tapping the gun he still had carefully strapped to his thigh.  
" I doubt there'd be any bullets at all," Jo murmured.  
" What do you want more bullets for anyway?" Lina enquired, even though if she was honest she wasn't entirely sure what bullets were or even how Simon's strange black weapon worked. " You have yet to use your gun….haven't you?"  
" I know I haven't but…you never know," Simon winked at her. " I just like to be prepared!"  
" Well, we didn't see any," Lucy told him plainly. " But you're welcome to go and look yourself if you really want to."  
" Nah, you're alright!" Simon laughed.  
" We had a look down on the outskirts of the town but other than some saddles, we didn't find anything," Mark admitted.  
" And seeing as how we have no horses," Bertrande smiled. " We didn't bother carrying them back with us!"  
" Well, Aradia, Guillaume and I found some old scrolls and manuscripts in a chest in the castle, historical stuff mainly but I've still got lots of it to read through yet so you never know…" Jo grinned, standing and starting to pace back and forth in front of the others.  
" But nothing of importance really," Guillaume sat down on a low wall.  
" Er Jo…? What's with the pacing?" Lina asked with a raised eyebrow.  
" Helps me think," came the short reply.  
" What you thinking about?" Lina decided to change tack slightly. Jo stopped and glanced at the winged warrior.  
" I can't help thinking we've missed something! There _has_ to be something here," Jo started her pacing again.  
" Why does there?" Dedra asked pointedly, amazed himself how he didn't flinch under the dark look Jo threw at him.  
" I beg your pardon?" Her tone was soft but the look in her eyes was dangerous.  
" Well, Incubus sacked the city and the castle…who's to say that whatever was here, he didn't help himself to…" Dedra sighed. " Everyone knows the castle and the city were poorly protected, what was there to stop Incubus helping himself to whatever he liked…?"  
Jo stopped her pacing for a second or too, glaring thoughtfully at Dedra.  
" It's a possibility," She admitted before beginning her pacing once more. " But that's not what happened, if there was nothing here I'd know…I just know I would…don't ask how," She said as Dedra opened his mouth. " I just would ok!"  
" Me too," Aradia spoke up. " While it was true we were not well protected by guards and armies. The castle did have its secrets you know!" She added and aimed at Dedra. " The crystal is still here somewhere, I can almost feel it." She stood up and walked away from the others slightly, her hands placed firmly on her hips.  
" And you expect to beat Obsequious based on a _feeling_ do you…?" Dedra countered before Guillaume appeared in front of him, his dark eyes narrowed.  
" You are beginning to get on my nerves, Aitor," He hissed, his tone and expression enough to force Dedra back into silence.  
" It's got to be hidden away somewhere," Jo reached up to scratch her cheek thoughtfully before dropping her hand back down to rest on her belt.  
" Somewhere hidden," Aradia mused, reaching up to rub her nose.  
" Somewhere secret…" Jo and Aradia murmured in unison.  
There was a brief pause in which the other friends exchanged a series of bemused glances and Jo and the Princess exchanged a look of intrigue that suddenly became one of realisation.  
" Of course!" Jo exclaimed.  
" The chamber!" Aradia yelled before the two of them turned and began to sprint back towards the castle.  
" I think Jo's having a bad influence on the Princess…!" Phillipe groaned as the friends snapped into action and ran after them. " They really have to stop this suddenly running away into the distance business!"  
Jo and Aradia ran through up the hill and through the ruins, with the others in close pursuit, across the 'garden' and the remains of a courtyard and out of an archway that none of them had noticed before. There was another steep slope which Jo and Aradia almost fell down before stopping next to a door. It was a wooden door that seemed to open into the hill itself.  
Jo and Aradia exchanged an excited glance and without any further hesitation, the two girls flung themselves against the wooden door, which swung open almost immediately. The others clustered around the doorway, eyes and mouths open wide in surprise.  
Jo let out a slow whistle as they looked inside.  
" Now that's what I call 'something of importance'!"


	42. PART 78

" Woah!"  
" I've never seen anything like it…!"  
" Oh my…do you suppose it's real…?"  
" Of course it's real!"  
The light shining through the doorway behind them all had illuminated a set of stairs heading down below the ground level and a large portion of the floor at the bottom of them and as it poured in it caused a million and one sparkles to light up the darkness.  
The stone floor of this previously hidden room was covered, almost completely, with more jewels, coins, jewellery and many other kinds gold and silver items than any of them had ever seen.  
After a few minutes of gawking, the friends headed down the stairs and into the treasures below.  
Dedra hung back slightly. He had been here before.  
" What _is_ this place…?" Lucy murmured, bending down to run her hands through the pile of gold coins nearest her feet.  
" The Royal Treasury of Aesina," Aradia replied equally quietly as she knelt down and traced her fingers over the royal crest that had been engraved on a large shield.  
" Wow…" Mark exclaimed, his eyes almost as wide as his mouth as he tried to look everywhere at once.  
" Well, if I was going to hide a crystal, this would certainly be a good place to do it!" Amos admitted.  
" Shall we…?" Martin gestured to the piles of treasures around them with a glint in his brown eyes.  
The friends exchanged excited glances before wading into the hoards of gold and silver and beginning their search.  
Crowns, bracelets, necklaces and rings were strewn across the floor and tangled in clumps, some of them huge in size.  
The friends carefully pulled shields aside, searching for anything resembling a crystal.  
Mark's eyes spotted something small and blue, sparkling close to his foot. He picked it up and saw that it was a ring. A small square cut sapphire surrounded by tiny diamonds in a plain gold band. With a small sideways glance at Bertrande to see if she'd seen what he'd found, he slid the ring into the pocket of his tunic. He would of course ask Aradia later if he could have the ring but it seemed perfect for something he had been meaning to do for sometime. Little did he know Martin and Amos had just done exactly the same thing. With a ruby ring and an emerald one respectively.  
" Wow," Simon's voice rang back through the chamber as he lifted up a sword from upon the ground.  
" Oh Simon, that's gorgeous," Lina murmured, looking over the sapphire handled weapon in his hands.  
" It feels so light too," Simon grinned, playing it back and forth in the air. " Even with that huge chunk of…of…" A frown creased his forehead as he leant closer to the large clear stone at the hilt. " Hey, what is that?"  
" Looks like a diamond to me," Dedra offered, recognising Simon's find as the sword he too had discovered when Obsequious had sent him down into this very chamber to look for the crystal.  
" I'm not so sure," Simon frowned again before carrying the sword over to Jo, who was knee deep in coins. " What do you make of this…?" He handed it over carefully.  
" Well it certainly is a sword and a half," She sighed almost wistfully as she looked up and down the finely polished blade itself before focusing her attention on the stone in question.  
" It is a diamond…right?" Lina asked after Jo had spent a few minutes staring deep into the stone.  
" I'm not sure…I wouldn't have said so but…hang on a minute," Jo brought the blade and stone closer to her eyes. " Simon, bring one of those torches over here would you, there's some writing on here…"  
The former apostle snatched up the nearest torch and thrust it over Jo's head, illuminating the finely carved text on the blade.  
" What? What does it say?" Mark urged. By now the others had become aware that Simon had found something that was of some importance, crystal or not.  
" It's in Euskaran…I think… 'un tesson-'" Jo started.  
" That's not Esukaran," Glyndwr said firmly.  
" You're right…it's not," Jo frowned at the text before rolling her eyes with realisation. " It's French… 'un tesson de lumière dans cette épée pour bani la nuit et le seigneur foncé'," Jo read slowly and carefully.  
" Something about a light to banish the night…or something," Rosie said after a moment or two's thought.  
" 'A shard of light within this sword, to banish the night and the dark lord'," Aradia corrected quietly.  
" You…you don't think it means Obsequious…do you?" Bertrande's eyes opened wide.  
" Well how many other dark lords are there?" Dedra sniped, rather un-necessarily. Trying desperately to contain his emotions. Anger that he had not recognised the crystal himself and joy that they had found it and not his master.  
Jo carefully handed the sword back to Simon.  
" Well done," She grinned. " I do believe you've found one of the last pieces of crystal we need!"  
A cheer rang out through the chamber as the friends laughed and hugged one another in the gloom surrounded by a million sparkles from the jewels surrounding them.  
" …cool…" Simon murmured, letting his eyes drift up and down the blade once more. " Well that was relatively easy to get hold of…!" He grinned broadly before holding the sword back out towards Jo, who frowned slightly and made no move to take it.  
" But…you are…you are carrying it aren't you? I mean, you _did_ find this place," Simon's grin grew slightly. " Well, you and Aradia…"  
" But it was _you_ who found the crystal," Jo smiled, pushing the sword back towards the former apostle.  
" Besides," Aradia smirked, moving next to Jo's side. " We all know she'd only lose it anyway!"

Later that morning Phillipe sat on one of the ruined walls, holding something tightly in his fingers. Martin, Amos and Mark had not been the only ones to find things in the treasury that had seemed perfect for a purpose that they had had in mind. Phillipe had also discovered something in the darkness below the castle that had seemed too perfect to just forget about.  
In his fingers he held a ring, a silver band with a single clear stone. He wasn't sure if it was a diamond. It seemed too big for a diamond. But it was simple and it was, in his opinion, beautiful.  
The perfect ring for…  
" Now there's something I've not seen a long time…" Jo voice called over to him, he quickly balled up his fist in case she'd not seen it's contents already.  
" And what's that?" He enquired as Jo sat down beside him. With a smile Jo reached across and carefully traced a finger along his forehead, following a series of lines there.  
" Your thinking face." Jo grinned.  
The former police inspector found he couldn't help but grin back at her.  
" Well there's a lot to be thinking about, isn't there?" Phillipe said after a moment's pause.  
" There is indeed," Jo leant back, pulling one knee up to her chest and resting her chin on it before adding with a sigh, " A _lot_ to be thinking about…"  
Phillipe glanced at the young face beside him. Her face had tanned over the course of their quest and now had more than it's fair share of freckles dusted over the nose. Long, dark brown waves curving their way down her back while a few loose strands played in the light breeze. Her sharp, green eyes were distant and clearly deep in thought. Jo sighed again.  
" Phillipe…" She mumbled, not moving her eyes from whatever she had been meditating on.  
" Mmm," Phillipe replied, carefully taking his hand behind his back and slowly putting it's contents into his pocket.  
" Phillipe, do you think we have any chance at all…?" A frown grew on Jo's brow.  
" Chance? Any chance of what, Jo?"  
" Winning," Jo turned her face back to look at his. " Of beating Obsequious."  
There was a pause. Phillipe studied Jo's face once again. It was fair to say she had changed since he had met her that night in Paris. To be honest there was not one of them who had not been changed because of their journeys and adventures. For one they were all a lot leaner than they had been upon leaving Vaniria, not to mention tanned and, in most cases, with a few more scars then when they'd left their respective homes. But there was something more fundamental that had changed in Jo. It was a change in her attitude almost. Not for the worst necessarily but her outlook had changed. Completing the quest had been something of a game at the start, of course they had all taken the task seriously but it meant little to any of them. But now, it was as if it was Jo's _responsibility_ almost to save these countries from the darkness threatening to engulf them.  
It was an attitude he had recognised developing in someone else in their group, that he had seen almost as soon as he had met them. His eyes drifted away from Jo and towards the others. Most were trying out the variety of swords they had hauled out of the hidden chamber and out of the weapons store. Lina was stood to one side going over some archery with Jenny, Lucy and Aradia. The winged warrior had handed Aradia a longbow and was trying to make her fire it at a target.  
" Lina, I really don't think I should…" The princess started. " We never covered archery back in Vaniria and I really think…"  
" Aradia, just fire the arrow will you please," Lina groaned.  
" And just where do you want me to aim this thing?" Aradia shot back with one suspicious eyebrow raised.  
" The bucket on the wall over there…" Lina pointed, " Just like I did…trust me, it's easy…"  
Lina shrugged and turned to face the low stone wall and the wooden bucket on the top of it.  
" This isn't going to work," Aradia mumbled, pulling back on the bow.  
" I'm just proving a point…" Lina smiled knowingly, watching the Princess.  
" Well, I don't know what you hope to prove…" Aradia sighed as she focused her gaze on the target and released the arrow. A gasp rose from the others as they saw it land smack in the middle of the bucket's side. Aradia stood open mouthed, as stunned as everyone else was. Lina gently removed the bow from Aradia's grip.  
" Thankyou, now, if you two want to try…" Lina smiled at Jenny and Lucy.  
" But how…I mean…I've never…" Aradia babbled, pointing at the arrow sticking out of the bucket. Lina winked at the Princess and her smile grew broader. " Just call it a hunch I had about you…" Lina turned back to the others, " Now, place the arrow on the bow…a little higher Jenny…"  
Phillipe grinned as Aradia looked from Lina to the arrow sticking in the bucket and back to Aradia again. A faint smile of pride sneaking onto her mouth.  
" Phillipe…?" Jo's voice cut through his thoughts.  
" Sorry, I got a bit…distracted," Phillipe smiled.  
" Well, do you think we have a chance, or not?" Jo repeated, her eyes slightly wide.  
Phillipe's smile grew as he looked down into her face where dedication, fearlessness and tenacity were all shining in her eyes. When he had met her she had seemed fearless indeed but young and far too impetuous for it to do any good. Now she seemed a lot more grounded, not necessarily older but wiser without doubt.  
She had been an eager young girl in Paris with more ideas than sense. Vaniria had turned her into the bold leader sat beside him.  
" Yes, yes I think you do," Phillipe replied quietly.  
" Don't you mean _we_?" Jo's frown deepened ever so slightly.  
" Of course," Phillipe corrected himself. " I meant we, we do have a chance. More than a chance!" The wide smile crept back onto his face. Movement behind Jo made Phillipe lift his gaze to see Guillaume and Glyndwr approaching.  
" Hope we're not interrupting…?" Guillaume asked after kissing Jo's forehead gently and sitting on the other side of her to Phillipe.  
" Course not," Phillipe smiled broadly.  
" That's good," Guillaume replied. " 'Cos Glyndwr here needs some help…and I thought Jo would be the best person to ask about it…"  
Jo's face took on a slightly surprised expression.  
" Well…I can but try…"  
" Knew you would!" Guillaume grinned at her.  
" Well, we'll leave you two to talk…" Phillipe stood up, motioning for Guillaume to do the same. " There's something I've been meaning to ask you about anyway…" Phillipe started as the two of them walked off talking quietly.  
" So…how can I help…?" Jo smiled up at Glyndwr, patting the stone wall next to her.

" Well…" He sat down and took a deep breath. " It's about…well, it's more like…you see it's…"  
Jo tried her best to suppress a giggle.  
" It's Aradia isn't it…" She said after he'd paused in his struggling for a moment.  
" How did you…?" Glyndwr exclaimed, wide eyed.  
Jo waved his question aside.  
" Never mind that…what exactly is it you want my help with…?"  
" I…" Glyndwr swallowed. " I want to tell her how I feel…I think…"  
" You think you want to tell her how you feel or you want to tell her what you think…?" Jo couldn't help but smirk slightly.  
" I want to tell her how I feel," Glyndwr said more firmly. " But…I don't know how…"  
" And how do you feel…?" Jo asked gently.  
A wide smile curved onto Glyndwr's face and a sparkle appeared in his eyes. He took a deep breath and sighed gently.  
" How do I feel…?" He repeated, closing his eyes momentarily. " I don't know how to say it…"  
" Don't worry," Jo smiled back at him. " You just said it perfectly. And I know the perfect way to tell her too…"  
" So you…you can help me with this?"  
" Not exactly…But I know a man who can…!" Jo winked as she gestured for Marius to join them.  
" Marius…?" Glyndwr's eyes widened slightly.  
" Yes, Marius," Jo explained in a slightly hushed voice. " Marius was a fine singer back in Paris…"  
" Everything ok?" Marius reached them, a slightly bemused grin on his face.  
" Everything's great…love's in the air and it just needs a little push in the right direction…if you follow my meaning…" Jo winked.  
" Sounds a perfect way to spend an afternoon," came the happy response. " And how may I ask are we to help love on it's way?"  
" Music!" Jo's eyes shone at the very mention of the word. " Do you remember that song I taught you back in Paris…?"  
" 'That song'? Which _one_…? You've taught me more than a few songs you know!" Marius laughed. " What was it? Something from a musical…a ballad…what?"  
Jo rolled her eyes.  
" Nothing from a musical, not this time," Jo allowed herself a small grin, " It was called 'I'm beginning to see the light'…it was quite lively," Jo tried to explain then hummed a bit of the tune.  
" Oh yeah, I remember it…" Marius smiled slightly at the memory the song evoked of his time singing in and around Paris. " But why?"  
" Do you reckon you could teach it to Glyndwr?"  
" Glyndwr…?" Marius' eyes widened slightly. Glyndwr's narrowed.  
" Yes. Me."  
" I didn't mean it like that," Marius said quickly. " It's just…well…you're the _last_ person I thought I'd be giving singing lessons to, that's all."  
" You taught Guillaume…" Jo smiled softly, referring to Guillaume's rendition of 'Could We Start Again Please' that he had sung to her to try and bring back her memory.  
" Fair point," Marius acknowledged graciously. " I shouldn't think it should be too hard anyway…" He grinned, rubbing his hands eagerly together whilst looking at Glyndwr. Sizing him up the way a tailor would for a suit.  
" So what do you say Glyndwr? You want to try it out…?" Jo looked up at the Meander, a familiar twinkle in her eyes.  
" But what about the tune, shouldn't there be music…?" Glyndwr asked.  
" That's a point Jo," Marius agreed. " When Guillaume sang his song accompaniment was not needed. This is a pretty heavy-duty song you want to put into action here…" Marius grinned " A little 'swing' is in order…to put it mildly!"  
" You're right…" Jo mused for a moment, " Never fear, the music shall appear just leave it to me," She winked. " So, with the right backing…will you try it…?"  
Glyndwr glanced across to where Aradia was now sat with Rosie and Bertrande preparing some food and sighed softly before turning back to them with a similar twinkle of his own showing in his eyes.  
" I guess I've nothing to lose! Count me in…!"  
" Great!" Jo clapped her hands together enthusiastically. " Now, I'll leave you two to your singing lessons…leave the music up to me…"  
" What about Aradia?" Glyndwr suddenly asked.  
" Don't worry," Jo winked once again. " Leave her up to me too. Just do whatever Marius tells you and I'll tell you when and where to be later on…"  
" Ok…" Glyndwr replied a moment or two later before they headed off towards the ruins with Marius saying something about 'better acoustics' as they went.  
Jo grinned as she watched them go before heading towards the others.  
" Rosie…can I borrow you for a moment…?" Jo asked, carefully pulling Rosie up from her seat with Bertrande and Aradia.  
" Er…sure…" Rosie answered even though Jo had already 'helped' her walk away from the other two. " So, dare I ask what this is about…?" She asked catching sight of the glint in her friend's eyes that she knew usually spelled some form of trouble.  
" You can play the piano…right?" Jo asked with a rather maniacal grin as she wrapped an arm around Rosie's shoulders.  
" The piano? Yeah…a bit," Rosie admitted after the shock of this bizarre question had passed, " But what's that got to do with anything..?"  
" Just a little plan of mine…" Jo tapped the side of her nose conspiratorially.  
" A little…oh, why do I get worried…?" Rosie challenged.  
" I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Jo feigned a hurt look for a moment, which was spoiled slightly by the wink she gave her friend straight after it. " You'll hear all about this brilliant-"  
" Worrying!" Rosie interspersed.  
" –plan of mine soon enough my young friend." Jo paused, a slight frown on her face for the briefest of moments. " But first things first…I need to find you a piano!"

" Where are we going…?" Aradia whined.  
" You have to see this view," Jo replied insistently, catching hold of her hand and practically dragging her along. " Isn't it a gorgeous evening…?" Jo sighed, letting go of the princess' hand as she and Aradia wandered along the edge of the forest as the sun was going down behind the mountains.  
" Lovely," The princess agreed with a smile.  
" One might even call it a _perfect_ evening…" Jo said as coyly as she could manage.  
Aradia thought for a moment.  
" Well I've certainly never seen the lake look so calm and with the sunset reflected like that…all those oranges, reds and purples…it _is_ very pretty. And I know I've never seen any fireflies in the trees here before…for once I agree with you Jo…this is definitely-" Aradia turned back to answer Jo and stopped dead. Jo wasn't there.  
" Jo? Jo…?" Aradia spun around a few times looking for her. " Where've you gone? Jo?"  
There was no reply, from anywhere.  
" Bloody typical," Aradia huffed, sitting down on a large rock. " I'll just stay here and wait shall I?" She asked no one in particular although her comment was aimed at the last spot she had seen Jo.  
Gazing up at the sky she sighed before the sound of a twig breaking underfoot caught her attention and forced her eyes back at the trees.  
Aradia frowned slightly in confusion to see Glyndwr stood amongst the bushes, even more confusing was that he seemed to be clicking his fingers in some kind of rhythm by his side.  
" And what do you want now…?" She sighed in what was an almost martyr-like fashion and that she hoped would lessen the smile threatening to creep onto her face at his appearance.  
Glyndwr allowed himself to smile slightly, trying desperately to ignore the nervous feeling in his stomach, before starting to walk towards her and as soon as he started moving the sound of a piano filled the air.  
" What the…?" Aradia practically leapt into the air in surprise, her eyes scanning the surroundings in desperation to see the source of the music as the sounds of strings floated to her on the breeze.  
Glyndwr tried to focus on the task at hand and not wonder just how Jo had created this invisible orchestra and upon reaching Aradia, he began to sing softly.  
" 'I never cared much for moonlit skies, I never knew love was such a prize…'"  
" Eh?" Aradia asked.  
" 'But now that the stars are in your eyes, I'm beginning to see the light…'" crooned the Meander sliding across in front of where the bewildered Princess was sitting.  
" 'I never knew much about fireglow, or stealing a kiss by mistletoe, but now that you've turned the lamp down low, I'm beginning to see the light…'"  
Aradia couldn't take her eyes from Glyndwr's face as he sung to her through the increasing darkness.  
" 'I used to ramble through the park, shadow boxing in the dark, then you came and lit that spark…'"  
" What _are_ you talking about Glyndwr?" Aradia demanded, but admittedly not as angrily as she would have liked.  
" 'It's a four-alarm fire now…'" Glyndwr continued, taking hold of her hand and swinging her in a wide arc around him.  
" I'm sure it's no such thing!" She exclaimed.  
" 'I never made love by latern shine,'"  
" And you needn't think you're starting now either!"  
" 'I never saw rainbows in my wine…'"  
" Now you're just being stupid…"  
" 'But now that your lips are burning mine…'" Glyndwr winked.  
Aradia opened her mouth to protest such lyrics but then gasped as he pulled her close enough for their lips to barely touch before swinging her back out again, a rakish smirk on his lips as he continued to sing.  
" 'I'm beginning to see the light….!'"  
Glyndwr pulled Aradia back towards him and the pair began to dance around the rock on which she had been sitting. Had the two of them glanced into the trees that Glyndwr had appeared from, they would have seen the others doing pretty much the same thing. Except for Jo and Rosie who seemed to be the source of the 'orchestra' with Rosie sat at a piano that had _appeared_ from somewhere and Jo's eyes were tightly closed as she hummed the rest of the accompanying tune to herself.  
" 'Used to ramble through the park, shadow boxing in the dark, then you came and caused a spark. That's a one, two…a one, two, three…it's a four-alarm fire now!'"  
" He's not bad you know…" Marius beamed proudly to Guillaume as they watched through the bushes.  
" I've noticed," Guillaume smirked back as they saw Glyndwr pull Aradia just that little bit closer in his arms as they danced.  
" 'I never made love by lantern-shine, I never saw rainbows in my wine, But now that your lips are burning mine, I'm beginning to see the light…'"  
Aradia's eyes were practically glowing with excitement as they slowed down and came to a halt almost where they had started. Glyndwr stepped away from her slightly, letting her slip from his arms but keeping a hand in his.  
" 'I'm beginning to see the light…'" He repeated, clearly revelling in the look on Aradia's face. " 'I'm beginning to see, Beginning to see, Beginning to see…the light!'" With that the music faded into the night, he kissed the back of her hand, bowed slightly and vanished into the darkness.  
In the next clearing Rosie and Jo high-fived each other as the piano vanished into thin air. Glyndwr broke through the bushes, the biggest smile on his face that any of them had ever seen.  
" That was fantastic!" Marius congratulated him warmly as the Meander shook his hand energetically.  
" It certainly was more fun than I thought it was going to be!" Glyndwr grinned with sparkling eyes.  
" And I reckon Aradia enjoyed it too…well," Guillaume grinned. " _Almost_ as much as you did!"


	43. PART 79

The lake was so peaceful. Dawn was starting to creep over the horizon and the lake was become paler and paler in colour, mirroring the gradually lightening skies above. Glyndwr hadn't been able to sleep and so had come to the water's edge to try and think. He had never felt like this before and so how to deal with the million and one new feelings shooting through his body was going to take some doing.  
He was certain that Aradia had felt something when he had sang to her but…what?  
He felt he couldn't just ask her, that didn't seem the right thing to do at all.  
Maybe he should ask Jo to ask her how she felt about the whole thing. But that also seemed wrong. He wanted to know, so it should be _he_ who did the asking.  
But what to ask, and when. He sighed heavily and kicked a small pebble into the water. Why did everything have to be so complicated?  
The sound of footsteps carried on the breeze to him and he turned with a gasp to see Aradia stood behind him, a small smile on her face.  
" You're…er…it's…" He babbled. " Lovely morning, eh?"  
The princess nodded.  
" It's early too," She replied after a moment spent looking out over the waters before looking back at him. " Couldn't you sleep either?"  
" Not really, no," Glyndwr couldn't understand why his palms were sweating. He'd never felt so nervous before. Even in battle he'd felt calmer than this.  
Neither one of them spoke for the next few minutes, Aradia's eyes drifted back out over the lake while Glyndwr looked down at his feet trying to put his thoughts and questions into words.  
" No one had ever sung me a song before," Aradia said suddenly, her eyes fixed on some distant point on the horizon.  
" I find that hard to believe," Glyndwr replied. " None of your royal suitors ever serenaded you with poems…?" He laughed slightly and Aradia frowned.  
" You don't know as much about me as you think you know," Her voice was slightly tight. " Just because I'm a Princess doesn't mean you can just label me and have done with it!"  
" And just because I'm a Meander doesn't mean it either!"  
Aradia smiled guiltily.  
" Touché!"  
There was another pause, this one much less awkward.  
" Anyway, I think you're more than just a title…" Glyndwr admitted quietly. " I think you're much more than even you give yourself credit for."  
" Thank you," Aradia murmured, turning to face him properly. " And I think there's a lot more to you than you let people see…"  
" Perhaps," Glyndwr confessed. " I think, to a certain extent, we both let people see what they want to see…"  
" Well, it seems we have much in common…" Aradia suddenly found she had moved a lot closer to Glyndwr. Or had he moved closer to her?  
" It does…" Glyndwr whispered, suddenly aware his hands were reaching towards Aradia's.  
Then, with neither of them sure which one of them moved first, they moved towards each other, their hands holding each others and their eyes looking deeply into one another's.  
With the sun rising behind them, the Princess and the Meander kissed for the first time.

As the morning passed and the sun rose brightly above them, Guillaume and Phillipe were sat on one of ruined walls, watching while the others started to pack up their discoveries in and around the castle.  
A discussion over breakfast had decided that, like it or not, the remaining crystal marked on the map was in the Swamplands and they were going to have to go looking for it sooner or later.  
The journey was going to be mostly through woodland before they came to the Swamplands themselves and then they could only imagine how difficult that terrain was going to be to cross.  
With that in mind they had decided that leaving Aesina the following day would be their best idea. They could stock up on provisions from the woods and armed with their newfound weapons and along with the tents and other items they had found they should be well equipped to face whatever they found.  
Mark, Martin and Amos, after exchanging some glances had gone out walking shortly after the decision had been made, taking Aradia with them. She had then come back a few minutes later asking Jenny, Bertrande and Lucy to go and join them down by the lake.  
The others had exchanged intrigued looks but had said nothing about it. Despite their urges to ask Aradia just why she was smiling so broadly.  
Jo had given her a pointed look when she had sat down beside her to help with what she was doing but had, some how, managed to refrain from comment. Even though the urge to ask her about the previous night's performance from Glyndwr was practically begging to be answered.  
Phillipe glanced at Guillaume whose eyes were watching Jo as she worked to refill their quivers with arrows and clean all of their new blades and bows.  
" You know what, I was just thinking," Phillipe started. " Back in Vivons you started to ask me something about Jo, before she interrupted us with her 'dancing'," Phillipe smiled slightly at the memory of Jo dancing, or trying to, on the bar of the tavern.  
Guillaume paused eyeing Phillipe suspiciously.  
" How did you know I was thinking about that…?"  
" Great minds think alike I guess…" Phillipe offered, a twinkle in his pale green eyes.  
" I think you've been hanging around Jo too much," Guillaume laughed. " Some of her magic must have rubbed off on you! You sure you're not a wizard or something…?"  
" Not that I know of," Phillipe grinned before carrying on, "Anyway, I was wondering, what was it you were going to ask me about Jo?" he pressed.  
" I…I was going to ask you," Guillaume said quietly. " What do you think she'd say if I asked her…if I asked her to marry me?"  
Phillipe's smile grew wider and warmer.  
" I think you and I both know what she'd say," Phillipe replied.  
Guillaume turned to him, a large smile on his face and his dark eyes dancing merrily.  
" You really think so…?"  
" I know so!"  
Guillaume sighed softly.  
" So you think if I asked her soon…?"  
" I think if you'd asked her back in _Artigat_ she would have said yes!" Phillipe laughed.  
" I would ask her now but…but she has a lot of other things on her mind…it wouldn't be fair…"  
" I think it would be the fairest thing you could do actually," Phillipe admitted. " Give her something less stressful to think about for a change. But you are right to now want to burden her at the moment…" " I'll know when the time's right," Guillaume said firmly.  
" I'm sure you will, I just hope for both your sakes, it's soon!" Phillipe squeezed the younger man's shoulder warmly. " And it's a shame for the rest of us…a wedding would be a perfect diversion for us all-" Phillipe was cut off by the very loud arrival of Martin, Lucy, Mark, Bertrande, Janny and Amos into the ruins.  
" Everybody!" Mark yelled. " We've got some news for you all…!"  
" We're engaged!" cried Lucy, Bertrande and Jenny in unison.  
" You sure you're not a wizard?" Guillaume laughed as he and Phillipe stood up to go and join the happy couples down below. There were smiles and laughter all round as the others clustered around to congratualte them.  
" Oh that's fantastic news…" Rosie gasped, hugging Lucy tightly.  
" Wonderful," Jo agreed, kissing Mark's cheek before doing the same to Bertrande.  
" I knew this would happen sooner or later!" laughed Guillaume, shaking Martin's hand and then hugging Bertrande tightly. " I'm so happy for the pair of you…for all of you!"  
" It's just a shame we'll have to wait until we get back to Vaniria before we can do anything about it," Jenny sighed, holding Amos' hand tightly in her own.  
" I know," Martin agreed sadly.  
" A wedding-" Rosie started.  
" Or three!" interjected Guillaume.  
" -Would have been the perfect way to end our time here…" Rosie finished.  
" But with no one to marry us, we'll just have to wait won't we?" Lucy admitted with a shrug.  
A slightly sad pause followed in which the three newly engaged couples looked at each other and the others tried to think of a way round the problem facing them.  
" Er, Aradia, as monarch," Jo started, a knowing smile on her face. " Can't you perform things like…I dunno…weddings…?"  
" I reckon so," Aradia replied smoothly with a slight wink. " Especially here in my own castle and kingdom."  
" So you could marry us? Today?" Amos exclaimed.  
" I _could_, yes," Aradia replied.  
" So…will you…?" Mark asked urgently.  
" Please…?" Lucy added hesitantly.  
" Of course I will," Aradia beamed. " I would be honoured…"

The ceremony, held that afternoon just outside the ruins, under some trees, was brief but beautiful with Aradia performing the marriages without fault. Lucy, Bertrande and Jenny had been dressed in some of the silks they had discovered in an old chest. They hadn't had chance to make them into dressed as such, more like very elaborate toga's but they were certainly more like wedding attire than their dusty tunics were and each carried a bouquet of Temple tree flowers. Aradia had also presented each of them with a small pendant to match their rings as a gift. Mark, Martin and Amos had all made their best efforts to look as clean and presentable as they could, having flatly refused to wear the same things as the girls. Phillipe stood beside Aradia, holding the rings and the girls flowers when the time came.  
Rosie, Marius, Lina and Simon watched the whole ceremony through happy eyes, hands tightly holding each others as they recalled their own weddings not long before. Jo and Guillaume stood, arms around each other, in silence with small smiles on their faces alongside Glyndwr and Dedra.  
Once the ceremony had been finished, the air was filled with small white petals as the friends showered their newly married friends with even more flowers.  
The piano reappeared and the couples enjoyed their first dance as a gentle beam of sunlight filtered down through the trees upon them all and a gentle shower of temple tree petals fell down over them on a soft breeze.

Later that evening Jo had decided to explore the ruins one last time before they left them while the others prepared dinner and washed up their blanket and clothes one last time in the stream.  
Dedra had followed her. He was aware that he was shaking, but he could not understand why.  
There was something about this place. Something about being here with her that made him feel so guilt-ridden that it hurt just to look at her. But the reason for these feelings remained unknown. He knew part of it was a result of Obsequious telling him that Julia might still be alive, his heart panged just at the thought of her name. But that still didn't explain why he felt this way around Jo. He sat on one of the broken walls and just watched her. It was true that even from their first meeting all those weeks ago in the mountains, something about her had seemed so familiar. Something he'd sometimes see shining in her eyes, or in the way she smiled. It was comforting and worrying at the same time because he couldn't explain it.  
Jo continued to walk around the ruins, every so often a frown creasing her brow as she touched a wall or a door, or a faint smile lifting the corners of her lips as she looked at the remains of a stained glass window. She could feel goose-bumps rising on her arms and the hairs on the back of her neck standing up but she somehow knew it had nothing to do with the chill in the air. There was something about this place, something so familiar and yet at the same time so curious. The only thing she could liken it to was the feeling she got from the first time she walked around Vaniria. It felt safe and secure here, despite the obvious ruins around her. It felt like home.  
She turned and jumped a little to see Dedra sat watching her. She had felt someone was watching her but she hadn't thought it would be him.  
Dedra too had goosebumps but for a totally different reason. His was fear.  
What he couldn't bear, was the idea that she would hate him for what he was going to do. He had known that he hadn't joined them to make friends, that had been the _last_ thing on his mind. He had been sent there with a job to do and that was all. He had done it before. Too many times before he thought angrily. And yet why, now of all the times in his life, why did he feel so gut-wrenchingly guilty about it all.  
A mad idea flashed through Dedra's mind. He glanced over at Jo, who had moved to stand beside him, as she looked out over the ruins before them. This was it. His last chance to tell her, to warn her, before he had to leave. "_And take her with you!_" he reminded himself in the privacy of his mind. If he told her now then maybe…maybe they could defeat Obsequious, gather enough of an army and storm the castle. He bit his lip and swallowed nervously as he looked down at the face next to him.  
" …Jo…" He finally managed to say, although his voice was little more than a cracked whisper.  
" Yeah…?" Jo's eyes didn't leave the ruins that lay in front of them but even so, Dedra had to look away.  
" Will you…will you walk with me…?" Dedra finally managed to say. Jo didn't answer but she glanced up at him with a slight smile and the two of them began to wander through the ruins.  
He had no idea what to say to her, not the vaguest plan on where to start.  
Their path had led them across a small bridge over a stream, which trickled peacefully over rocks and into the lake beyond. Jo knelt down and picked up a couple of smooth stones. She held one tightly in her hand, eyes closed, mind obviously focused on something in particular before lobbing the stone out over the lake. Where it sank below the surface with a pleasant plop.  
" Why did you do that?" Dedra frowned.  
" It's from the Witch's Rede…_'Where the rippling waters go, Cast a stone and truth you'll know.'_" Jo smiled. " I guess I just want to know what I'm supposed to do now…"  
" Oh I see…" Dedra nodded, trying to ignore the fact that the word _truth_ was now echoing over and over inside his head.  
Jo threw another stone out across the waters only this one skipped over the surface three times before diving out of sight. She gave a little smile of pride before they continued.  
" That one I threw just for fun!" She grinned by way of explanation.  
They carried on walking and soon were stood on the banks of the lake. Neither one of them spoke. Jo looked at the scenery around them. Dedra looked at Jo.  
He bit his lip slightly. This was it. It was now or never.  
" Jo there's…there's something I have to tell you…"  
" Sounds ominous," Jo grinned slightly before the expression on the face before her wiped it away. " Sorry Aitor…go ahead…you know you can tell me anything you want to…" Jo's smile returned, softer this time, as she gently squeezed his arm.  
" I've been wanting to tell you for days…" He paused and swallowed before correcting himself. " No…not days…" He glanced at her. " Ever since I met you…"  
Jo nodded for him to continue, her brow slightly furrowed as he carried on speaking.  
" It's been so hard, going on everyday knowing that I was going to have to tell you…let you know…" Dedra stopped again, running a slightly shaking hand through his sandy hair. " Have you ever had a secret Jo?" He asked rather suddenly.  
" Oh…well, yeah…yeah I guess so…" The surprise of this rather odd question startled her slightly. " I mean, when I was a kid I had loads…every child does, don't they…but you mean a proper secret don't you?" An eyebrow rose slightly on her face. " An important secret…"  
Dedra wanted to correct her by adding 'deadly' to the description but he couldn't bring himself to, instead he just nodded.  
" Well…" Jo sighed in thought. " I guess the biggest secret I had was keeping my witchcraft a secret from Phillipe and Marius while we lived in Paris…that and not telling them where we were really from and about the strange way in which we'd arrived…"  
" And how…how did you tell them…? I mean, was it easy…?" Dedra pressed.  
" I wouldn't say it was a picnic or anything," Jo admitted, " But I suppose I knew that once I told them, everything would be much easier. No longer having to worry about slipping up and saying something wrong…"  
" Being found out you mean…?"  
" Something like that," Jo nodded. " And I guess I knew somehow that they'd understand…" Jo's eyes shifted to look into his. " Eventually anyway…"  
" You mean they didn't understand straight away…?"  
" Not exactly…I mean they understood some of what we said but some of it took a little getting used to…"  
" So even though you told them and they had a few problems with it in the beginning…it was fine afterwards…"  
" …Yes…" Jo replied cautiously.  
Dedra moved away from her slightly, brow furrowed and gaze fixed on the ground.  
" Aitor…if, if you don't want to tell me…you don't have to…" Jo said quietly after a moment or two had passed.  
" No…no, I want to…" He answered. 'I _have_ to' his mind added.  
Jo stood quietly watching as Dedra tried to find the right words.  
" It's…it's about Obsequious…" He somehow managed to murmur, even though half of his mind was doing everything it could to try and prevent him continuing this discussion.  
" Obsequious?" Jo exclaimed, wide eyed and aware she could suddenly hear her heart beating much louder in her chest as her mind flew back to the day after they had found him wounded.  
'He's got a secret…and it must be a big one...were you that desperate to be found you cut yourself…or was it just desperate to be found…by us…'  
Jo shook her head slightly, trying to push such doubts away. If he was trying to tell herself them having foregone conclusions was not the way she should be thinking.  
" What's…what's Obsequious got to do with anything…?" Jo finally asked.  
Dedra swallowed hard and took a deep breath as he opened his mouth to speak.  
" Well, you see, I-"  
" Dinner's ready!" A loud voice cut across him. They both turned to see Marius waving over to them. " Come and get it while it's hot!"  
" And before we eat it all!" Rosie's voice called after it.  
" We…we should go…" Dedra murmured.  
" But what about this secret…you said something about Obsequious…" Jo pressed gently.  
Dedra glanced back at her, green eyes searching his and he felt another twinge of fear run through him that she might see the truth in his eyes. He also felt a twinge of sadness. He knew that his secret was too big to be understood, even by her.  
She would hate him. It would be the same whether he told her now or whether she found it out on her own. The last thing he wanted was to bring her hatred upon him himself.  
" I…I'll tell you in the morning…" Dedra somehow managed to whisper. " I need to find the words…" He lied.  
" If that's what you want…" Jo replied gently.  
" It isn't…" Dedra said honestly. " But I think its for the best…"  
" Well whenever you're ready, you know where I am."  
" Th-thank you."  
" Don't be stupid, that's what friends are for isn't it…?" Jo asked as lightly as she could. Dedra looked up, his pale eyes meeting hers and Jo found it hard not to gasp as she saw the anguish that was shining there. Without a moment's further thought she stepped forward and hugged him tightly.  
Dedra gasped slightly before allowing his arms to move and hug her back.  
" Whatever it is, you don't have to face it alone," Jo murmured before stepping back and away from him. " You're one of us now…" She smiled at him once more before heading off towards where the others were waiting.  
Dedra hesitated for a moment or two before following her, thoughts going round and round painfully in his head.  
He had never been one of them. He had always been alone and it was his own fault that that was how he must now face his fate.  
He had lost everything he cared for long before he had even found it. Nothing he did now could save him.  
Dedra approached the others quietly and joined them as they sat down around the fire to eat.

A few hours later most of the friends were asleep. Dedra had been the first to go to his blankets and, pulling them up over his head, go to sleep. He was quickly followed by nearly everyone else. The day had been eventful and they knew the next few days were going to be equally so. They might as well make the most of a good night's sleep while they had the chance.  
Guillaume was awake. Sat up, his knees bent up in front of him and his arms resting on them. His gaze fixed on Jo as she slept.  
Noise close by made him reach for his sword but a friendly face appearing beside him in the gloom made him release it instantly.  
" Are you planning on getting _any_ sleep tonight?" Phillipe whispered, sitting down beside him.  
" I will sleep soon, I just wanted to make sure everything was ok…" Guillaume turned his dark eyes away from Jo and looked at Phillipe. " You understand…"  
" Of course I do," Phillipe nodded. " You know what we were talking about earlier…"  
" Yeah,"  
" Well I found this yesterday, while we were looking round…" Phillipe pressed something into his palm. " I've already spoken to Aradia and she says it's fine to give it to you." Guillaume opened his mouth to enquire further but Phillipe cut him off. " I thought you might be able to find a use for it…sooner or later…" With a wry smile the former inspector rose to his feet and wandered away. Guillaume sat for a moment or two with his hand closed tightly around whatever it was Phillipe had found, an eyebrow raised slightly in curiosity.  
He carefully opened his hand and surprise quickly changed into understanding for in his palm lay a ring.  
Guillaume looked back at Jo's sleeping form.  
'Sooner or later…' Phillipe's echoed in his mind. Now was not the right time Guillaume was certain but at least now when the right time came, he would be prepared for it. A broad smile curved his lips as he slipped the ring into the inside pocket of his tunic and lay down to sleep.  
Silence fell over their little camp, broken only by the occasional crackle from their fire or the sound of an owl or another night time animal passing close by.  
The next thing Jo was aware of was someone roughly shaking her out of a, blissfully, dreamless sleep.  
" C'mon lemmesleep," She mumbled as she groggily opened her eyes and jumped slightly to see everyone clustered around her. A mixture of fear and confusion on their faces. " What? What is it?" Jo was now more awake, pushing her hair back off her face.  
" Aitor's not here," Guillaume said as he crouched next to her, his hand still on her shoulder. " He's gone."  
" Wha…why would he do that…it's the middle of the night…?" Jo frowned, trying to calm her hair back down. " You sure he hasn't just gone for a walk…or something…?" She yawned seemingly oblivious to the panic around her.  
" His things are gone," Phillipe said firmly, his face hauntingly reminiscent of his former persona, Javert. " Everything…"  
" But I don't…" Jo started to stand up, confusion and alarm bells of worry, both ringing in her ears deafeningly.  
" Do…do you think he's been _taken_…?" Jo glanced around at the people around her, panic beginning to quicken her heart beat.  
" He left this…" Marius offered his hand in which was a scrap of parchment folded in half and tied with a piece of cord. " We haven't read it…" On the outside Jo's name had been written. Jo took it from him, wandered away slightly and then with hands that were shaking for no apparent reason she pulled off the cord, opened it out and silently read what was written there.  
" But…it doesn't make any…" Jo started before gasping slightly. His secret, the _thing_ he had wanted to tell her. It all made sense now. Her expression became gradually darker, her eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched in pure anger. " The bastard…!" Jo finally exclaimed through gritted teeth before having many questions hurled at her.  
" What?"  
" What does it say?"  
" What's he done now…?"  
" Does it say where he's gone?"  
" _Why_ he's gone…?"  
" We've got to get after him," Jo said after the barrage of questions abated. " That little snake in the grass…I'll _kill_ him…" Jo dashed over to where she had previously been sleeping, fell to her knees and began to hastily shove her blankets into her pack, the note still held tightly in her fist. The others exchanged confused glances and remained motionless.  
" Jo, what's going on…?" Guillaume frowned.  
" Come on!" Jo yelled, jumping to her feet once again. " Don't you get it…why didn't I see it before now!" Jo paused to slam her hand against her forehead.  
" Jo, we don't under-" Bertrande started gently before Jo's eyes, burning with rage, met hers.  
" You all were suspicious when we first met him that day before the mountains and yet I trusted him. It struck you as odd that he showed up in the desert like that…and still I _trusted_ him…!" Jo's face twisted with disgust at herself. " Earlier tonight, he tried…he tried to tell me something that was plaguing him…a secret that he didn't want to keep from me, from us, any longer…"  
" What did he tell you…?" Lucy's dark brows were high in suspicion.  
" Nothing," Jo squatted down and continued to ram belongings haphazardly into her bag. " He bottled out…the coward! But he doesn't have to tell me…I know now…" She stood up and looked at them all once more with a look of both sorrow and anger. "He's a spy, a spy for Obsequious…!" She flung her arms out in pure anger and the piece of parchment fluttered to the ground unchecked as panic and realisation took the friends and they began to hurriedly leave the ruins themselves. As they ran off into the night, the parchment lay in the damp grass, unfolded and it's message shown to the night. One word was all he had written but it had been enough.  
'_Sorry_'


	44. PART 80

" Is all this running _absolutely_ necessary?" Aradia yelled as the group dashed through the trees.  
" Yes!" Jo's voice called back sharply through the air. " We can't afford to let Aitor go running back and telling Obsequious everything can we?" Jo leapt over a small bush in her way. Up ahead she could see branches swinging and hear twigs breaking under rapidly moving feet, he wasn't too far ahead. They had hurriedly collected their belongings and set off in pursuit of Dedra. As they headed into the forest beyond the ruined castle Jo was in the lead, her face grim and serious; her heart pounding with anger at him and at herself for ignoring her instincts. She had known he had been hiding something from her. He had even _told_ her that he was and yet she hadn't told the others or voiced her suspicions.  
Towards the back of the group, Lina tried to push herself up to fly on ahead but two things were against her – her wing was still weak from her run in with the eagle in the mountains and even if she had had the strength the fly, the thick canopy of branches and leaves above them would have made it impossible to get anywhere fast. So instead she ran, her wing throbbing with every step, with a face of grim determination. Every so often Simon would glance back and give her a reassuring smile. It felt as they had been running forever, although it had only been a few minutes.  
" Jo…" Guillaume gasped, running alongside her. His hair had grown since the ball when he had had his long dark locks cut short. Now the hair reached his chin and kept getting in his eyes. " Jo…you _do_ realise we could be running into a trap…" Although she said nothing in reply, Guillaume saw her jaw tighten. She knew. " I mean…" Guillaume continued as he swept the hair back from his face. " …We're not all that far from the border…the swamplands are near…and…and I doubt he would run if he didn't think there would be someone to help him…" Jo glanced at up him.  
" That's why we have to reach him before they do!"  
They ran onwards, Billabong trotting alongside Lina at the back. His head occasionally rubbing against her thigh to help encourage her forward.  
Their speed increased slightly as the sounds ahead of them died down.  
" You're not getting away that easily!" Jo muttered to herself, shifting her pack on her shoulders slightly and running a little faster.  
As they broke through into a clearing there was no sign of anyone. Nothing. Not a broken twig on the ground or footprint in the dirt. As the friends fell to their knees or doubled over to catch their breath, Jo began pacing around the edge. Her eyes ablaze, her fists clenched white knuckled by her sides.  
" I guess we lost him…" Rosie's cheeks were flushed as she regained control over her breathing.  
" Well, there's still quite a way to go before the border…" Marius glanced at the map. " And he can't be going _that_ quickly…"  
" Once we've rested I'm sure we'll catch up with him…" Lucy's ever-optimistic voice sighed. Jo on the other hand it seemed was in no mood to rest.  
" Damn!" She kicked her foot angrily against a tree trunk before resuming her pacing.  
" Jo…just let us rest for a minute…" Phillipe said gently as he retied his ponytail. " You too for that matter, and then we'll get underway again,"  
" When I get hold of him, I swear to God-" Jo continued to rant as if she hadn't heard him.  
" Jo," Guillaume said gently, stepping in front of her and taking hold of her shoulders as she tried to walk past him. Angrily she looked up at him. Her eyes sparkling with tears of anger and frustration.  
" But we can't just let him run away…" She argued, although almost all of the menace had vanished from her voice as her head fell slightly.  
" He won't get away with it, Jo," Jenny said firmly, taking a large mouthful from a water bottle being passed around the breathless group.  
Jo's eyes glanced around at them all. Red cheeked and all trying desperately to regain control of their breathing. She sighed.  
" I'm sorry…we'll rest for a few minutes," She smiled weakly as Guillaume happily collapsed alongside the others on the ground. Somewhere there was a faint but unmistakable rumble of thunder. Jo wandered towards the edge of the clearing, staring into the trees that Dedra must have run through. " Keep running, Aitor…" She whispered into the night as another clap of thunder rumbled ominously in the distance. " It's too late for running away now…much too late…"

Dedra winced slightly as a low branch caught the side of his face. The flesh stinging as a thorn tore at the skin on his cheek. Gritting his teeth against a yelp he continued. He couldn't afford to make any noise that would reveal where he was.  
Without breaking stride he glanced back over his shoulder. No sign of them. Not yet anyway.  
He knew they were after him. He had heard them at first, the sounds of them breaking through the bushes in pursuit had quickened his heartbeat by more than a few beats.  
Looking ahead once more he forced himself to pick up the pace slightly. They might no longer be right behind him any more but he didn't doubt that sheer speed and a head start wouldn't be enough to get him out of this problem.  
Sweat from his brow dropped down and hit the fresh scratch on his face, drawing a sharp hiss from his lips. But he could not afford to pause for even a moment.  
He could almost feel the anger of the friends chasing after him on the wind and he knew that they wouldn't be far behind it.  
All he could do was to run. Run and hope that by some miracle he got to the Swamplands before they could catch him. The night was his only ally. They wouldn't stand a chance of navigating the treacherous terrain in the dark and would be forced to wait until dawn. By which time he would be back with Obsequious.  
His heart faltered for the briefest of moments as he considered what it was he was running to. His Master would not be happy that not only had he not managed to '_remove_' Guillaume from the equation but that Jo was still with the group of friends and was not with him.  
Shaking his head he pressed onwards. He'd deal with that when he had to. If he had to. Something told him that there wasn't much Obsequious _didn't_ know about in advance.  
After he'd run for a good few minutes longer, Dedra allowed himself to stop. Almost collapsing to the ground as the air burned at his lungs and a sharp pain stabbed in his side. He gasped hungrily at the air, wiping weakly at the sweat pouring from his brow. He knew he couldn't run much longer.  
Just as he was contemplating starting to run once again, something made him freeze.  
It wasn't a sound. The trees were once again silent around him.  
It wasn't something he'd seen. The darkness was too close to reveal anyone or anything in any great detail.  
It was a feeling. A cold feeling. The feeling of fear.  
And the feeling that he was not alone.  
A cold wind whipped past him and robbed him of his breath. Almost as if an angry ghost had barged along and winded him.  
Dedra could feel panic rising as he turned and fled among the trees, his exit marked with a huge clap of thunder. He knew what had just passed him. Dedra knew exactly what was winging it's way towards the others on cold, dark, evil wings and he wanted nothing more than to be as far away from it as possible when it found them.  
_He_ was here.

The friends had recommenced their chase almost as soon as they had caught their breath. Jo once more at the front of the group, charging through the trees and other plants in her way.  
" Can we…can we slow down just a bit?" Lucy gasped after another ten minutes or so had passed.  
There was no response from Jo. Lucy doubted if she'd even heard her, such was her focus on the man they were chasing. The distance between Jo and the others was increasing with every step. They were all tired but it was her anger that was fuelling her and giving her the energy to go on.  
Bertrande stumbled over a tree root and nearly fell, taking Jenny and Martin with her. Luckily they were caught by some of the others before they hit the ground.  
" This is stupid!" Rosie muttered as they all paused and she helped Jenny back to her feet. " It's almost as if this bloody forest doesn't want us to run through it!" She glared at the trees surrounding them. " I'm _sure_ that root wasn't there when Jo ran past!"  
" Don't be silly…as if a forest could do something like that…" Simon tried to joke but there was nothing in his voice but fear.  
" Speaking of which…where…where is Jo?" Mark frowned as he turned to see no sign of her.  
" Jo?" Guillaume yelled into the dark forest as another clap of thunder rumbled above them all.  
" Oh that's just _great_!" Glyndwr groaned angrily. " Now we've lost her _and_ Aitor!"  
" We haven't lost anyone!" Guillaume snapped before starting to run after Jo. " She can't have gone far…!" He called back as the others began to follow him.  
Guillaume stared into the trees ahead, looking for any sign of Jo, or Aitor.  
In a flash of lightning he was sure he had seen her cloak flapping in the breeze up ahead. Well, if not her cloak, _a_ cloak at least.  
" Jo? Jo…slow down! Jo, will you _please_ come back, we're-!" Guillaume's shout was cut off as the ground beneath their feet suddenly yawned open.  
The friends froze in horror and confusion as the floor fell away from under them, taking several of them with it.  
Rosie screamed as Marius fell down into the gaping hole that had appeared, along with Guillaume and Amos.  
" A forest couldn't do something like this, eh?" Jenny yelled pointedly at Simon as she dropped to the ground and tried to reach down to Amos.  
" It's not possible…" Simon murmured, his blue eyes wide.  
" Are you ok?" Phillipe called down into the hole as he and the others unravelled some of their ropes to hoist them up.  
" I've hurt my leg but I think it's ok…" Amos started, trying to stand before collapsing with a loud curse. " Ok…maybe it's not…"  
Looking down the other friends could see the bottom of the hole was covered with jagged stones, one of which looked to have caught the front of Amos' leg as he'd fallen. Guillaume was leaning against the wall of the hole but it looked like his leg had also been injured while Marius was lying on the floor of the whole, holding his left arm tightly and his face pale.  
" It's…it's just my arm I think…" Marius eventually managed to gasp after a moment or two.  
Phillipe and Glyndwr carefully tied a length of rope around a tree before tossing the rest down into the hole. Glyndwr swiftly slid down and into the hole and, along with Guillaume's help, picked up Marius and they started to help him up the rope. Phillipe leaned down to take Marius' good hand as soon as he could reach it and hauled him back up to the surface. While Phillipe examined Marius' arm with Rosie holding onto his good arm tightly, Simon dropped down to help bring Amos up and was followed by Martin going into the pit to help Phillipe bring Guillaume back up to the forest.  
" What the _hell_ happened there…?" Lucy gasped after several moments had passed in which many of the friends had just stared at the gaping chasm in the earth.  
" If I didn't know that Aitor wouldn't have had nearly enough time to set up a trip wire when he ran this way, let alone dig a huge pit like that…I'd have said it was a trap," Simon frowned angrily.  
" Obsequious," Guillaume hissed through teeth clenched against the pain throbbing in his leg. He clawed at a nearby tree with his hands trying in vain to get to his feet. " We have to-" His words were stopped as he started to fall once again. This time someone caught him and held him up.  
" You sure you can walk…?" Phillipe asked firmly, holding Guillaume up with one hand under his arm as his pale eyes flicked back and forth from where Jo had last been seen to Guillaume's eyes, now bright with pain.  
" I _have_ to," Guillaume groaned trying to stand once more and cursing as his leg buckled beneath him. Phillipe lowered him gently to the ground and turned him over slightly to see a large gash to the back of his thigh and blood quickly staining the back of his trousers.  
" We can't go on like this…" Amos hissed through his teeth, sinking down as the large cut to the front of his own leg twinged painfully.  
" But what about Jo?" Rosie demanded, pressing Marius' cloak closer to his arm, which was now bleeding profusely. " We can't just leave her out there!"  
" I'll go after her," Phillipe had already shrugged off his pack.  
" But…I…" Guillaume's face was pale from the pain and from fear. " What if-?"  
Phillipe grasped his shoulder tightly as he passed him.  
" Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to her," His voice and face were grim as he ran into the trees and disappeared from sight, leaving the others behind to sit and wait as large drops of rain began to fall onto the leaves above them and another clap of thunder echoed threateningly around them.

Jo charged through the trees faster than ever. She was vaguely aware that the others were no longer with her but that didn't matter. All she cared about now was finding Aitor and letting him know exactly how she felt. She cursed to herself as she thought about how much she had let her guard down to him. Angry energy coursed through her veins as she charged onwards.  
The dark scenery that she was running through was lit up for the briefest of moments as a bolt of lightning tore through the sky somewhere above her. And Jo suddenly realised that the night was full of the noises of rain hitting leaf and tree. The thick canopy above at least meant she was kept dry and the ground prevented from becoming slippery. For the moment at any rate.  
Jo slowed down slightly realising that Aitor could have stopped at any point and simply hidden behind a tree or something and she wouldn't have known. Especially with the noise from the rain above covering up even the sound of her own feet moving beneath her. She carried on moving forwards but now at more of a creeping pace. Still moving quickly but not so quickly that if she heard anything she would be unable to stop and investigate it. Jo froze as a sharp wind blew past her, raising the hairs on her arms and neck. Swallowing nervously Jo carried on and suddenly found herself out in the open.  
Large drops of rain were falling onto her skin and clothes. Her cloak keeping her dry for the most part as she stood in silence surveying the clearing before her. There was a flash of lighting overhead followed by an almost immediate roar of thunder. Jo didn't even flinch. Her eyes were flying across the scene in front of her looking for something, anything, to show where her quarry had run to.  
Slowly the rain was easing off although there was an almost continuous rumble of thunder echoing around the surrounding area.  
_Snap_.  
Jo whirled around as she heard the unmistakable sound of a twig breaking underfoot.  
" Who…who's there…?" Jo slowly drew her sword, eyes flashing suspiciously all around. Searching the shadows and darkness for hidden dangers.  
" Aitor…?" Jo frowned, " Aitor, if that's you then you might as well come out here right now…there's no where to run Aitor…"  
Jo swallowed nervously as a hissed voice carried on the wind towards her, repeating her own words.  
"_ …There's no where to run…_"  
" Whoever you are I demand that you show yourself!" Jo yelled, holding the sword even tighter in her hands, her head surveying the trees surrounding her with nothing short of absolute mistrust.  
" You're on your own now Aitor, just you and me…come and face me you coward!" She yelled, frustration rising fast.  
" _…You're on your own now…_"  
Jo bit her lip nervously as she turned on the spot as the voice called to her once again. The glade was lit up with another flash of lightning and Jo couldn't help but gasp. She peered into the gloom that followed the lightning; certain she had seen a figure in amongst the trees. A figure she didn't recognise.  
" Come out and face me!" Jo yelled over the thunder that followed.  
The cold wind returned and flew around her once more before stopping almost as soon as it had started.  
" I'm not afraid of you!" Jo called as bravely as she could.  
"_…Yes…yes, you are…You _are_ afraid of me…_"  
" I'm afraid of nothing that cannot even show itself!" Jo retorted, shifting her grip on her sword, still holding it in front of her ready to attack whatever was laying in wait in the trees.  
It was then Jo noticed the mist that was seeping from amongst the trees. A dark grey mist that was swirling over the ground towards her.  
She frowned slightly before looking back up and gasping. On the far side of the clearing she could have sworn she had seen a figure stood, leaning against a tree. Tall, thin and pale. Black hair and a pair of even blacker eyes smirking across into her own. Jo began to gasp at the air as the cold wind began to swirl around her once more, tugging at her hair and cloak and she was sure she could hear someone laughing.  
She was getting colder by the second and as much as she tried to call out to whatever or whoever had been stood before her she couldn't make a sound. The wind surrounded her and the cold grew closer. Just as the last of the warmth seemed to leave her body Jo was certain she could hear a voice, whispering in her ear.  
"_…Jo …I have been waiting for you…_"  
She heard the thump of her sword hitting the ground and was even vaguely aware of it slipping from her fingers but as the voice whispered her name again Jo felt as if her body was no longer her own to command. As if she was no longer there.  
The air around her grew colder and colder, the wind swirling around her as it had done so often in her nightmares. The suffocating darkness was closing in once more and Jo was powerless to defend herself against it. The chilled air around her almost felt as if was stroking her skin, brushing her hair aside, a frozen fingertip dragging down her neck. Jo's eyes were still fixed on where she thought she had seen someone, mouth slightly open in an attempt at a silent scream.  
Suddenly Jo was no longer alone in the clearing.  
Breaking through the trees Phillipe came to a sudden halt. Jo was stood, her sword on the floor at her feet, frozen it seemed. Following her gaze he saw something that he had never seen before and yet instinctively knew was evil. It was almost as if there was a black gyratory at the other side of the glade to them both. Twisting slowly and its dark mist emanating an iniquitous cold.  
" Jo...?" He called out but there was no response. " Jo?" He tried again louder and she didn't even flinch. Phillipe frowned and shivered in spite of himself. Glancing briefly at the black mist which had gotten Jo's complete attention.  
" _Jo…_" A voice hissed, apparently coming from the mist itself.  
Phillipe looked at the shadow before them and then at Jo, stood motionless and pale. For a moment he was taken back to that day in the desert when the snake had appeared, almost leading to Guillaume's death but also mesmerising Jo it had seemed. She had been unable to look away from the creature and had moved towards it as if following its orders. Surely this mist wasn't doing the same to her.  
" _Jo..._" The voice hissed again, and to Phillipe's horror Jo took a step forwards.  
" No!" Phillipe cried as the shadow started to glow and he knew something was going to happen. The air was getting warmer and warmer. Sprinting across the glade, cruel laughter echoing in his ears, Phillipe knocked Jo to the ground. There was a slight groan as her head hit the ground but she then lay still and unmoving as Phillipe turned back to face the shadow. All at once he felt cold to his very soul and for the briefest of moments he could have sworn he saw a face. A cruel smile, dark eyes blazing deep into his heart. And then a voice came to him, like the screaming of the wind that had taunted them up on the mountains.  
" _So be it..._" It whispered. "_Your journey is over, old man…_"  
Suddenly there was a flash and the air crackled like the lightning that had been coursing across the heavens above. Phillipe felt something hit him in his side and he was thrown against the ground hard as a loud bang seemed to tear the air apart.  
As he lay in agony, his vision blurred and fading he groaned. " Jo...Jo are you alright...?" But he couldn't see her. The pain in his side was building along with a ringing in his ears. His chest was starting to tighten and he called out her name again before everything faded to black.


	45. PART 81

" What was that…?" Martin frowned as the sound of a large bang came through the trees.  
" It came from…" Lucy started before realising too late what the sound might have been.  
" Jo…and Phillipe…" Guillaume muttered angrily as he tried to stand up onto his good leg.  
" We don't know that," Rosie swallowed, fear written clearly on her face.  
" It could have been anything…" Martin offered as he tried to make Guillaume sit back down and rest.  
" Thunder…?" Glyndwr glanced up at the sky, dark and with no stars visible through the leaves above them. Clouds perhaps obscuring their view. Even though the rain had stopped, with little wind it was unlikely the storm had blown away that quickly. " One last rumble maybe…" " Where was the lightening…?" Guillaume's voice was quiet. Dangerously quiet. Like the trees around them now were.  
" I…er…well…" Glyndwr stammered.  
" I thought I saw a flash before," Mark's voice came across the small glade.  
" Maybe we _should_ go after them," Jenny suggested.  
" I don't think we should split up," Marius finished tying a makeshift bandage around Amos' leg. " Guillaume, Amos, Lina and I can't really go on…not just yet anyway," He winced as the cut to his own arm twinged.  
" If Aitor is still out there, I agree with Marius…" Aradia nodded. " Jo and Phillipe will be back soon…" She went over and squeezed Guillaume's shoulder, looking down at him with what looked like hope rather than certainty shining in her lilac eyes, before heading back towards the others.  
" Fine," Guillaume snapped in a tone that said he was anything but as he tried to fight off the feeling of dread in his heart.

Jo drew a deep breath, uncertain whether it was the ground that was shaking or whether it was her. The air was silent and still once more. _Too silent_. With a groan she turned over onto her back, looking up into the leaves and dark sky above her. She ran a mental check to see if she could feel any serious injuries but other than a thumping headache she was pretty ok. Closing her eyes she tried to recall exactly what had happened. She had sensed something. Something dank and evil hanging in the air. It was the same feeling that filled her nightmares. That same feeling that chilled her insides. Then she had heard something; at least she was sure she had. Almost like laughter on the wind. But after that…after that she couldn't be certain what had happened. The air had become very hot very suddenly and then it had felt as if a huge gust of wind had knocked her over. That was when she must have hurt her head she thought. The next thing she was aware of was hearing a loud crackling sound, like lightning, a groan followed by something hitting the ground with a loud crash.  
Jo opened her eyes and frowned as she looked up into the sky, it's calm darkness above her. She was sure that there had been someone else in the glade with her. The frown deepened for a second as she tried to recall the events that had happened just a few moments earlier, then it disappeared as she remembered.  
Phillipe.  
He had arrived just after she had, he must have followed her. Then she realized. The sudden gust of wind that had knocked her from her feet hadn't been wind at all – but Phillipe. He had knocked her out of the way of…something. And the groan she had heard must have been him too. The frown returned to crease her forehead, " Phillipe…?" Jo glanced around as she sat up slowly so as not to jar the pain in her head. Looking around she soon spotted him a few feet away. A faint smile crossed her lips as she carefully stood up and made her way over to him.  
" God Phillipe…you sure you knocked me over hard enough?" Jo smirked with her hands on her hips. Phillipe's cloak had fanned out around him where he lay, a breeze playing with a few strands of his long steely hair. But there was no answer from Phillipe. The smile on Jo's face began to fade. " Phillipe…? Phillipe are you alright…?" Jo slowly got down on her knees next to him and gently turned him over. As soon as she had, Jo wished that she hadn't.  
The small cuts and scratches on his face she could handle but what she hadn't been prepared for was the wound to his body. There was a large gaping gash across his stomach and chest. It looked very deep and _very_ serious. It didn't appear to be bleeding which Jo took to be a bad sign as opposed to good.  
" Oh my god…" Jo muttered after a moment of shocked silence had passed. All of a sudden Jo felt nauseous and dizzy, unsure whether the cause was the bump to her head or the shocking sight before her. Lowering her head over Phillipe's face, Jo held her breath, listening for signs that he was still alive. " Please…please don't do this to me Phillipe…" She muttered silently to herself and sighed with momentary relief as she heard the sound of weak and shallow breathing coming from Phillipe. It was weak but he was breathing. He was still alive. Pulling him up gently and holding him tightly in her arms Jo looked around, panic beginning to quicken her heartbeat and catch her breath. A groan came from somewhere inside Phillipe's chest and she held him tighter to her.  
" Don't worry…I'm here…" She smoothed his hair as her eyes began to mist with tears. " I'm here…"  
" Jo…I…" his voice was rasping and weak. Jo swallowed and had to bite her lip to prevent her from crying outright. Ripping at his shirt, she pressed cloth against the wound, which had now started to bleed. No doubt started by her moving of him.  
" It's alright Phillipe…" The small strips of cloth seemed to do nothing as they were quickly changed from white to bright red. Jo closed her eyes and tried desperately to remember a healing chant Mithras has taught her. It wouldn't heal the wound but it would slow the bleeding. " Everything's going to be alright…" An exasperated groan came form Jo's lips as the words to the chant evaded her. The cloth was doing little to soak up the blood now flowing freely from Phillipe's wound as Jo felt it seeping through her own clothes and onto her skin with a warmth that was frightening.  
" We need to get help…" Jo said suddenly, taking hold of Phillipe under his knees and around his back, putting his arms around her shoulders. She tried to lift him and stand but her head was still swimming from its earlier blow. She rose a little off the ground before sinking back to her knees. Phillipe's breathing was growing weaker and he was growing limp in her arms.  
" Jo it's too late…" Phillipe tried to argue but Jo was oblivious to his words. Steeling herself Jo tried again, this time she stood. Her legs shaking, she held Phillipe in her arms. Leaning back to try and counter the weight of the man in her arms, she stumbled across the glade and into the trees.  
" Someone help us!" she shouted, desperation rising in her voice as she felt what little strength she had left fading. " _Please_…someone help me!"  
Breaking through some low brush Jo tripped and sent them both to the floor once again. Jo pulled Phillipe tight to her, tears now starting to flow from her eyes.  
" Help me!" Jo screamed into the silent trees. " Guillaume! Rosie! _Please_!" Phillipe stirred against her chest and Jo quickly looked down.  
" Jo…" his face was pale and his eyes seemed to be looking at something beyond her.  
" Shhh…." Jo tried to smile, in spite of the tears now coursing down her face, " Rest…help will be here soon…just hold on…" Phillipe didn't answer, he merely shook his head. "No…" Jo's heart felt as if it were being ripped from her chest. " Not like this…Please…Phillipe hold on…" Her voice broken with sobs, which were shaking her whole body.  
" J-Jo…it's…it's too late…" Phillipe reached up with a shaking hand and touched her cheek, now damp with tears.  
" Oh Phillipe…no…it can't be…" Jo took the hand lying on her cheek in hers tightly. " Please…Phillipe hold on…" Jo glanced frantically around them. " Someone please help us!" She screamed once more.  
" You…you must go on…" Phillipe's face was full of pain and determination as he spoke, struggling to focus his pale eyes on hers.  
" I can't…please…" Jo sobbed.  
" You…you have to…fulfil…your…." His eyes caught hers for the briefest of moments. " Your destiny…" His body tensed as pain shot through him, Jo pulled him tighter against her.  
" Phillipe…I don't understand…" Jo frowned. " Phillipe…Phillipe…please, I don't think I can do this on my own…"  
A small smile crossed Phillipe's lips before confusion clouded his eyes.  
" Jo…?" It was as if he couldn't see her. " Jo…?"  
" Phillipe I'm here…I'm _right_ here…" Jo squeezed his hand tighter, before kissing it's palm and adding with a trembling voice. " Please don't leave me…"  
" Jo…It's…so cold…" He sighed as Jo pulled his black cloak tighter around him.  
" There you go…just stay with me Phillipe…just a little while longer…" Jo looked up to the heavens above them where now the stars were sparkling down on them as the clouds above had parted to reveal the night sky. " Look…Phillipe, look…the stars…the stars, they're…" But as Jo looked down she stopped. His pale green eyes were fixed on a sight she could not see. " Phillipe…?" Jo shook him gently but there was no answer. No response as her hand squeezed his. A silent cry came from her lips as she reached down and gently closed his eyes. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she sat rocking him in her arms. Her head resting on his, her tears turning his steel coloured hair to dark grey, almost black. Slowly, she gathered him in her arms once more and tried to stand. Somehow she managed to straighten up and began to carry him back through the trees.  
Bitter tears of anger and frustration stood unmoving in her eyes as Jo broke through the trees and into the clearing where the friends sat waiting. They leapt to their feet joyful faces instantly changed to ones of confusion and fear.  
" Jo? What happened…?" Guillaume instantly stood up, leaning on his undamaged leg. Jo walked forward a few steps into the clearing, her glistening eyes looking at them all. Now her strength finally faded and she managed to walk no more than few feet. The friends stood around in stunned silence as Jo fell to her knees. Phillipe's cloak fell to the side revealing the gaping and, clearly, fatal wound.  
" Christ almighty…" Marius gasped as he gathered Rosie into a tight embrace while Lucy and Martin reached for each other's hands. Amos pulled a tearful Jenny close to his side as Mark held a silently crying Bertrande in his arms. Lina stood in stunned silence, tears welling up in her eyes, as they were in Simon's. Aradia's face was paler than ever, her lilac eyes brimming with tears. Glyndwr, shock clearly written on his face, walked over and tentatively touched her shoulder; instead of pulling away she reached up and took his hand in hers as he pulled her into a tight hug. Guillaume dashed over as quickly as his injury would allow, fell to his knees behind her and wrapped his arms around Jo's neck while she still held Phillipe tightly in her own arms. She raised her now bloodshot and tearful eyes to look at them. And as she spoke fresh tears began to fun freely down her cheeks.  
" He's gone…" Jo whispered as sobs began to fill the air. " He's gone…I tried to…but I…" Jo couldn't finish; she buried her face in Guillaume's embrace and wept. She raised her green eyes, made somehow more vivid by the tears, and looked into his equally sorrowful eyes. " I didn't even say goodbye…"


	46. PART 82

Pain comes in two forms. There's the sharp, stabbing pain that arrives in a burst of agony that the then quickly fades away to nothing, it's only legacy usually a scar. Then there's the dull ache that signals a much more permanent and lasting damage has been done. The throbbing heartache that lingers, inducing painful throats and red-rimmed eyes. This was the pain that was with them all as the sun rose above them. One of their number was gone and now they knew the pain was only going to get worse. However, even with this hurt tearing each of them apart there was something even harder to cope with, something much harder to bear that was pressing down on them all.  
_Silence_  
Once the crying is over, once all the tears have been shed…silence is all that is left.  
The friends barely moved during the night. As the sun slowly rose above them, its pale light filtering through the leaves and branches above, they awoke one by one almost exactly as they had been the night before. All of them holding tightly onto someone else. Everyone except for two of them. Guillaume was sat with the others, his knees drawn up in front of him, staring across at Jo. She was sat on the other side of the clearing, alone, with Phillipe's cloak held tightly in her hands.  
There was very little conversation either. No one knew quite what to say, a million and one questions burning inside one another's head and hearts but not a single word in their mouths of how to convey them.  
One by one though, they all became aware of a quiet voice amongst them. It was Jo's. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, occasionally voicing one of them though too quietly to be heard by the others clearly enough to understand.  
" The world I have known is lost in shadow," Jo murmured quietly.  
" Jo…?" A hand tentatively touching her shoulder jerked Jo out of her thoughts. " Are you ok…? It looked like you were talking to yourself…" Lina smiled weakly.  
Jo looked up at her but made no response, just a sad sigh before returning her gaze to the cloak held tightly in her lap.  
" Is she alright…?" Bertrande whispered to Mark, whose gaze was concerned to say the least.  
" I wouldn't have thought so," Mark replied. " I mean, we're all upset enough but she…she saw him die…I can't imagine what's going through her head right now…"  
Suddenly Jo got up, glanced around at the group of concerned friends sat around her and tried to smile.  
" I'm…I'm just going to go for a walk…get some fresh air…do some thinking…" The rest of her sentence trailed off as she wandered into the trees.  
" Jo…?" Guillaume made half a step to follow her but Rosie appeared before him.  
" I'll go after her…" Rosie smiled as hopefully as she could. " I'll call for you if I need you…" With that Rosie jogged after Jo, vanishing among the trees and bushes herself.  
Jo hadn't wandered far. She was leant against a tree, Phillipe's cloak _still_ in her hands as stared blankly at the ground.  
" Jo…?" Rosie asked tentatively as she approached. " Do you want to talk about anything…?"  
Jo let out a short, harsh laugh.  
" Talk? Sure. Why not. Talking's going to make everything alright isn't it?" She sniped, her eyes still fixed on the leaves carpeting the forest floor.  
Rosie frowned and leant back against a tree opposite her friend, folding her arms over her chest and trying to think of anything she could say to try and bring Jo out of whatever it was she was sinking into.  
" It was an accident," Rosie said quietly after a few moments had passed. " No one could have done any more for him than you did…"  
" It was beyond all of us," Jo murmured. " Out of my hands…"  
" I don't know if I'd put it quite like that…" Rosie frowned as Jo lifted her head slightly to glance quickly at her.  
" It was going to happen…no matter what I did, or didn't do…it would have happened one way or another…"  
" Jo, stop talking like that…  
" Don't you get it…Phillipe was _supposed_ to die…" Jo exclaimed as loudly as she dared.  
" Jo, _don't_ say things like that!" Rosie scolded.  
" Well it's the truth! He _was_!" Jo snapped back uncharacteristically.  
" I'm not going to listen to this…" Rosie sighed, turning to walk away. " You obviously need more time before-hey?" Jo had grabbed hold of her arm.  
" _No_, please…" Her eyes were wide and her tone pleading. " I _need_ to talk to someone about this…" Jo swallowed. " Someone who'll understand."  
" But that's my point Jo, I _don't_ understand," Her friend replied sadly. " I wish I did."  
Jo's eyes narrowed slightly in thought, trying desperately to put the feelings tearing at her heart into words.  
" How does it end?" Jo asked flatly.  
" Sorry…?" came Rosie's confused reply.  
" How does it end, for him? For Javert?" Jo eyes were wide and unblinking.  
Rosie paused for a moment, frown deepened in thought.  
" You mean…in the show? In Les Misérables…?"  
Jo nodded.  
" Well, he….he…" Rosie bit her lips slightly. " Well, he dies but-!" " Exactly!" Jo groaned.  
" But it was Javert that dies in the show, it was Phillipe that came through the Gyratories with us, Phillipe who chose to follow us on this adventure. You saved him Jo…"  
" No I didn't, I just prevented the inevitable," Jo retorted.  
" I'm not sure I follow-"  
" We took our friends, these characters, out of the story in which they had been written…but the story's ending could not be changed…" Jo babbled. " Phillipe, Javert was supposed to die…it had been written!"  
" This is nonsense," Rosie shook her head, suddenly realising where Jo was going.  
" It was written that his character should die…bringing him here only put it off…he was _supposed_ to die….and he wasn't the only one-"  
" Jo, shut up," Rosie said darkly, suddenly aware of a chill in the air around them.  
" So was…" Jo's voice faltered. " And so was Guillaume…" A tear rolled down her cheek as she fell back and slid down against the tree trunk.  
" You can't seriously believe this…" Rosie knelt beside her, fear and uncertainty starting to chill her insides. " It's not…"  
" Not possible…?" Jo asked. " We've seen many impossibilities come to be reality…isn't being here is enough of an example for you? What makes you think our lives should be exempt from any rules that might exist…?"  
" Death isn't a rule!" Rosie responded. " It doesn't arrive at a preordained time…surely you don't believe that…"  
" Death is the one law we must _all_ abide by…" Jo sighed. " We will all die someday…"  
" But we're not dead yet!" Rosie said resolutely. " And I am not prepared to watch you give up living your life because of this…"  
There was a rustling sound as Jenny, Lucy and Mark broke through the bushes to join them.  
" Sitting around and waiting for death won't help anyone…" Rosie continued. " Not you…or me…or Guillaume…"  
Jo's eyes filled with tears.  
" What's going on…?" Lucy asked gently as Rosie sighed and stood up.  
" She got it into her head that it's her fault that Phillipe's dead…going on as if it was fate…that Javert was supposed to die in 'Les Mis' and so Phillipe owed a death as it were…" Rosie frowned glancing back to where Jo was knelt, staring forwards in silence. " And that by the same token Guillaume's doomed too…"  
" But it _was_ fate…" Jenny murmured.  
" Don't you start!" Rosie said firmly spinning round to face her so fast she almost lost her balance.  
" No, don't you remember what Alvejan told us…?" Jenny said, her tone nervous and voice quiet.  
" This would be someone's last journey," Lucy's voice was quiet and definitely afraid.  
Another heavy silence fell over the small group in the woods. Maybe it _was_ all out of their control.

" Even…even if it was 'meant' to happen at some point, then it can't be Jo's fault that it's happened now…" Mark said eventually. " He could have been with any of us and, if what you're saying is true, then the result would have been the same…"  
" It's my fault…" Jo's eyes were glazed and unblinking.  
" What are you talking about? It was no one's fault…" Lucy frowned, exchanging a confused glance with Jenny.  
" It is…_all_ of it…" Jo continued, almost babbling.  
" Jo…Jo, what's wrong with you?" Mark reached across and squeezed her shoulder, causing her to jump.  
" I caused this," The others could now see her eyes were glazed with tears as she spoke in an ever-breaking voice. " If it wasn't for me…Phillipe would still be-"  
" Now you stop right there," Jenny said firmly as she stood up. " Jo it was an accident, no one is to blame…least of all you,"  
" Most of all me!" Jo yelled, leaping to her feet, causing the tears standing in her eyes to fall down her face and making the others jump. " This whole mess is my fault! If I hadn't been the wannabe explorer we would never have left home in the first place…"  
" Jo, that's arguably one of the most stupid things you've ever said," Rosie replied quickly, hands on her hips. " And don't think there aren't lots to choose from either!" She added on quietly. " This has been one of the greatest experiences any of us could ever have had…and yes, that might be your fault, but we thank you for it! There's no one to blame…!"  
" But if I hadn't run off like that, he'd still be here!" Jo shot back before her face and tone became thoughtful. " What if it hadn't been his last journey…what if it should have been mine…?"  
" Don't even go there Jo!" Lucy said loudly and firmly but Jo continued, either so worked up she didn't hear or choosing to ignore her.  
" It was my right to die as well!" Jo cried softly. " Instead I live... but live in hell…"  
" Just listen to yourself, Jo…" Mark pleaded, trying in vain to swallow the lump in his throat. " Can't you hear what you're saying…?"  
Jo shoved him aside and made to leave but someone else stood in her way.  
" Move out of my way," Jo said darkly, looking darkly at them.  
" Make me," Guillaume replied softly. There was no menace behind his words just desperation.  
Jo took a deep breath, her jaw tightening slightly, though more through an attempt to stop her self from crying than through anger. She made to step around him but Guillaume moved with her, blocking her path once more.  
" Move…" Jo repeated, louder.  
" No, I can't and won't," Guillaume replied as smoothly as he could manage.  
Jo let out a cry, half despair, and half anger. Tears suddenly bright in her eyes as she raised her fists, as if to hit him. Guillaume stiffened slightly. This he had not expected. But the blows didn't come. Her fists fell limply against his chest as Jo tried to stay upright. Babbling the same phrase over and over quietly to herself as Guillaume reached out to steady her.  
" You don't understand, it's my fault…it's all my fault…"  
Guillaume held onto her shoulders as tightly as he could, almost as if he was afraid she would slip right through his fingers.  
" Jo stop it! Stop it _now_…"  
" But don't you see, if it wasn't for me Phillipe would be here!" Her voice was becoming more and more hysterical.  
" Jo that's enough…" Guillaume was struggling to keep his own tone calm.  
" Guillaume I _killed_ him!" Jo all but yelled up into his face before he yelled back with all the strength he could.  
" You didn't kill anybody! Jo, when are you going to forgive yourself for something you didn't do!" Guillaume could feel tears building in his eyes as he looked down at her distraught face. He pulled her closer, moving his hands up to cup her face, his voice more gentle as he added, " Jo, you're still alive and we all need you, now more than ever. Don't let him have died for _nothing_."  
" But I don't know if I can go on…" The tears fell faster from Jo's eyes, though the hysterical tone was fading fast. " I don't think I can do this anymore…There is nowhere I can turn…There is no way to go on..."  
" You can turn to me," Guillaume whispered softly his brown eyes wide and pleading. " Phillipe died so that you could live – don't let him down…" He tilted her face so their eyes locked. " …Or me…"  
" Oh Guillaume I miss him so much," Jo whispered.  
" Me too…" Guillaume admitted as he gathered her tightly in his arms and they stood like that for a long time.

That evening, after Jo had cried herself to sleep while Guillaume held her tightly in his arms, holding back his own tears for the most part; Jo awoke.  
The others were all sleeping soundly and no one stirred as Jo got up. She pulled Phillipe's cloak around her shoulders and wandered into the trees. She needed time to be alone with her thoughts. To try and find some reason in the madness that was surrounding her. She very soon found herself in the clearing where the night before she had lost her friend.  
The clearing was silent, moonlight shining down illuminating the ground beneath her feet. Slowly Jo walked across the clearing to where Phillipe had fallen. A slight frown creased her forehead as she spotted something in the grass below her. Jo knelt down and picked it up. It was a length of dark green ribbon. The ribbon that had tied Phillipe's long hair back. Ribbon given to him by Aradia on the night of their Ball. That had been the night he'd first heard about L'Étoiles. Jo smiled slightly, carefully tucking the piece of material into a pocket of her tunic before sitting down on the ground, leaning her back against a tree trunk. She looked up and felt slightly calmed by the sight of L'Étoiles shining down on her from above.  
" 'Stars…keeping watch in the night…'" She murmured softly before an urge to cry overwhelmed her. Jo allowed the first few tears to fall unchecked before wiping at her cheeks and taking a steadying breath. " I'm no use to anyone like this…" She said to the stars. " So…what am I supposed to do now…?" Jo asked the night.  
" _Well if you don't know…no one else will…_" A familiar voice replied.  
" Sounds about right," Jo smiled slightly.  
" _You know…I know you do…_" The voice continued.  
Jo hesitated before replying this time.  
" Knowing is one thing…being able to do it is quite another…"  
" _Think first, act later…you sure you're feeling ok?_"  
Jo couldn't help but grin.  
" Maybe I'm growing up a little…" Jo sighed, almost sadly.  
" _The Jo I know…knew…she wouldn't let a little thing like rational thought hold her back…_" The voice laughed on the wind, Jo pulled the cloak closer around her. " _Nothing seemed to frighten her…_"  
" Just the threat of losing those she loved…" Jo whispered back.  
" _That frightens us all from time to time…_" The voice whispered back. " _The truly brave among us are the ones who don't let that fear get the better of them…the ones who use it to push themselves further…_"  
" But what I don't think I can push myself any further…" Jo said honestly, sounding genuinely exhausted. " Is it really going to be worth all of this effort if this whole quest is out of my hands anyway…I mean, Alvejan…"  
" _His prophecy, yes…_" That friendly tone swirled around Jo like a gentle hug carried by the night air. " _He spoke of many things though…He told you something else didn't he…?_"  
" To not give up in the face of tragedy, to go on…but I don't think I can," Jo replied after a moment of reflection.  
" _I think you can._"  
" You would say that," Jo grinned once more before it faded slightly and her voice cracked. " I miss you, you know that don't you…" Jo closed her eyes against the tears threatening to fall once again.  
" _Yes I do_," The voice seemed closer than ever. " _And I miss you, all of you. But I'll never be far away…_"  
" But it's my fault you'll never be as close as you once were," Jo muttered.  
" _I followed you and you were merely pursuing someone else…_" The voice reassured. " _No blame lies here…_"  
" Aitor…" Jo hissed angrily.  
" _But be careful…Seek not retribution…it brings nothing but despair and anger to your life…I hunted revenge for too long…_"  
" But I can't let him get away with what he's done…" Jo replied.  
" _Seek answers before judgement…_"  
Jo frowned and tried to swallow the anger rising inside her.  
" I promise I'll try…but I…"  
" _Swear to me…?_" The voice asked, sounding further away.  
" I swear…I swear on…" Jo looked up to the skies and paused as a long forgotten pledge ran through her heart. " 'There, out in the darkness…there's a fugitive running. He's fallen from grace…fallen from grace. God be my witness, I never shall yield, 'til we come face to face.'" Jo sang softly before glancing back down to look around the clearing.  
But she was alone, as she knew she'd always been.  
"'Til we come face to face…" She repeated with a sad sigh as she turned her eyes skyward. L'Étoiles were sparkling above. A slight smile turned the corners of Jo's mouth as Phillipe's voice called to her on the breeze.  
" _This I swear…_"  
" This I swear…for you I won't seek retribution, but answers…I shall have them sooner or later…this I swear by the stars!"  
The clearing was silent once more, only the gentle sounds of the breeze in the trees above as Jo stood and headed back to the others, whispering 'Goodnight' to the darkness and a lost friend as she settled back down to sleep.


	47. PART 83

The following morning the woods were once again quiet, but not nearly as tense as they had been the day before.  
The friends all sat around a campfire, before doing anything else, in order to discuss what they should do next. They knew that their next port of call was going to be Obsequious' castle and the Swamplands. But now they had an even more important and difficult decision to make. A decision had to be made about Phillipe. Even if they'd wanted to, they couldn't possibly take his body with them, their packs slowed them down enough as it was, not to mention the injuries Guillaume, Marius and Amos had received in their bizarre accident the night before last, but neither did they want to leave him here in the woods.  
" So…" Mark said, not entirely sure what he was going to follow it up with.  
Another silence followed.  
" So, what's…I mean…what do people think…that is…" Rosie stammered awkwardly before being cut off.  
" I think we should move on today," Jo's voice said.  
The others exchanged slightly uneasy looks.  
" And what…what about Phillipe…?" Lucy bit her lip as her voice trailed off.  
" Well I hardly think his opinion's relevant anymore, do you...?" Jo snapped before wincing. " Sorry! I'm sorry, it's not you, it's-"  
" And it's not you either," Lucy smiled back consolingly.  
Jo smiled back with a heavy sigh.  
" It won't _always_ be this bad, will it?" Jo asked no one in particular.  
" No, no it won't," A voice replied, Jo looked up slightly surprised to see Aradia's lilac eyes looking back across the glade at her. " It gets different. It doesn't get _better_ or _easier_…just different…" The young ruler smiled softly. " Trust me, I know,"  
" I know," Jo smiled back weakly."  
There was a pause.  
" Jo, do you remember what you said to my Uncle at the ball…?" Aradia remarked suddenly. " When he said it would be too dangerous for me to accompany you on this quest…"  
Jo frowned in thought slightly, forcing her mind back to the ball. A night that seemed to have taken place so long ago.  
" You said that you would all do everything you could to prevent anything happening to me…just as you would do for anyone travelling with you…" Aradia prompted.  
Realisation filtered into Jo's expression as she murmured quietly,  
" If it cost me my life…I would gladly lay it down for a friend…"  
" Back then you were willing to lay down your life for mine, or any of us come to that…just as we are all willing to do the same for you and for each other…sadly Phillipe is sadly the only one of us to have had to do so this far…" Aradia squeezed Jo's shoulder slightly. " You and I both know that this journey is not going to get any easier when we carry on, but I for one find it comforting to know that I have friends with me who would do such a thing…don't you?"  
Jo's jaw tightened slightly, although the Princess couldn't tell whether it was a result of trying hold back tears or an insult. But what Jo did next ruled out both of her previous expectations. Jo looked up with a smile and flung her arms around Aradia in a warm hug.  
" What's this for?" Aradia asked, sounding genuinely astounded.  
" Just for being you," Jo grinned as she stepped back. " I mean, yeah, you _do_ annoy me a large amount of the time," She admitted with a friendly nudge to the Princess' side. " But I guess that's just because we're quite similar really!" Jo laughed.  
Aradia looked horrified.  
" I'm _sure_ we're not!" She exclaimed haughtily before giving Jo a sly wink.  
" Not to dwell on it but…" Marius said quietly. "…do I take it that we're leaving Phillipe here…?"  
" Yes," Jo sighed. " We'll bury him here and when this is all over…" She swallowed sadly throwing a brief and remorseful glance towards where Phillipe's body lay. "…as soon as we can, we'll come back for him."

The woods were still as the friends stood around Phillipe's grave. Sunlight filtering through the tall trees as they performed their simple ceremony for their fallen friend. Jo had found a large glade full of bluebells. They had dug up a large quantity and most they had replanted onto Phillipe's grave. The rest the friends had held throughout the brief ceremony. Marius had given a short prayer in French and now the friends were stood in silence. No one sure of what they should do now. " We…we should sing something…" Marius whispered after a moments pause.  
" A hymn…or something," Rosie agreed, holding his hand tighter in hers.  
" Anyone think of a suitable one…?" Mark asked.  
" How about…" Lucy began but she didn't finish. A voice had already started to sing the words of a hymn. Jo's eyes were sparkling with tears but her head was held high as she sang quietly.

_"Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;  
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.  
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,  
Help of the helpless, O abide with me."_

One by one they joined together and sang.__

"I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;  
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.  
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?  
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;  
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.  
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;  
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me."  
  
The friends then began to approach Phillipe's grave, each laying the flower they had held throughout their simple ceremony and took an opportunity to say their own goodbyes before going to retrieve their pack and start on the journey towards the swamps.  
" I will come back for you, my friend," Jo whispered as she laid down her flower last of all. " I shall not leave you here alone for long…" Holding back the urge to cry Jo patted the mound of earth gently before rising to her feet and following the others from the glade. They all left more than flowers behind. Each of them felt as if a part of them would stay in that woodland clearing. But rather than feeling sad, it felt positive. As if part of them was being cared for by an old friend until they returned to collect it. And as they headed towards the unknown that was a steadying thought, a positive thought.

After a few hours of walking they reached the edge of the forest and saw before them the Swamplands. Mile upon mile of bog and marshland stretched as far as the eyes could see. Black mud seemed to be slowly pouring up from the very bowels of the earth even as they watched, one or two pools bubbling slowly. A dank, grey mist hung a few feet above the ground and they didn't doubt that as soon as they got within a few feet of it, the smell would be awful.  
Here and there tufts of grasses tried in vain to grow, while dotted sporadically across the landscape were large clumps of twisted, black and white, dead trees. It was as if a line had been drawn between the forest behind them and wastelands in front of them, separating the living from the dead. As if to emphasise this, the swamplands appeared to be completely devoid of any sound. No bird calls could be heard, even the running water seemed to be soundless.  
Years before someone had built a fence running along the edge of the swamps, marking the point where the boggy, uneven and dangerous ground began. All that remained of the fence now were a few posts, sticking haphazardly out of the mud and filth where they had sunk over time.  
Looking up the sky was covered with a layer of light grey cloud, blocking out most of the sunlight. Although had it been a glorious day with streaming sunshine, they doubted it would make any difference at all to the appearance of what lay before them.  
They could also see, here and there, large pools of stagnant water, some could almost be classed as lakes with streams trickling silently from one pond to the other. Around these small ponds the dead trees seemed to be concentrated. Huddling together the way friends would on a cold night to keep out the freezing night air.

They were stood on the crest of a small bank, which ran down into the muddy waters below. From where they stood they could see no clear pathway to follow and certainly no kind of road. Billabong padded down to the water's edge and sniffed cautiously. Snuffling loudly as some of the rank water went up his snout he bounded back up to join the others, looking thoroughly displeased about the whole thing.  
" We're going to have to wade through it, aren't we?" Aradia asked nervously, eyeing up the black ponds below them.  
" Well, unless you happen to be a master bridge and causeway builder," Jo said grimly. " I don't see any other way of getting to the castle."  
" Y'all don't reckon there's gonna be gators in there…do you?" Amos swallowed noisily.  
" Gators? What the hell are gators?" Martin shrieked.  
" Are they monsters?" demanded Lina, her dagger already drawn.  
" Not quite," Rosie admitted.  
" They're…well, they're like big lizards…" Mark tried to explain.  
" Yeah, big lizards with big _big_ teeth!" Jenny exclaimed, drawing another shriek from Martin.  
" Good move Jenny!" Jo groaned. " Look, they exist in our world. They live in swamps and they can be dangerous…"  
" Do you think there'll be any here…?" Lucy asked quietly.  
" Well, given that so far we've seen giant regits and eagles, a unicorn and a dragon…I reckon there's a high chance that even if there aren't alligators in there, there'll be something!" Jo whispered back.  
" Well, these gators…what do they look like?" Glynwdr had his hand clamped around his sword's handle.  
" They're kind of browny green aren't they?" Mark asked rather then explained.  
" I know they look like trees when they're floating," Rosie chipped in.  
" Oh this is ridiculous…look at this…" Jo knelt down and picked up a twig. " They have long, flat heads, like this, short legs and have a long tail." Jo drew a very rough outline in the dirt at their feet. " They're excellent swimmers but they can run quite fast on land too as I recall…"  
" What about the teeth…?" Amos frowned slightly at the crude drawing in the soil.  
" I think we can all guess where the teeth would be Amos," Jo sighed somewhat haughtily.  
" And these things are dangerous?" Simon snapped the safety catch from his gun, suddenly feeling very glad he still had it with him.  
" I think it's the classic case of they're more afraid of you than you are of them…" Jo stood up, wiping her hands on the backs of her trousers. " But even so, if you annoy it, it's going to have a go!"  
" So the gator rule is, don't go anywhere near one?" Guillaume smirked slightly.  
" Pretty much." Jo agreed.  
" What about anything else…? I mean, that water's pretty dirty, anything could be swimming about in there and we wouldn't know…" Aradia eyed up the waters with a mixture of fear and loathing.  
" I wouldn't mind betting there are frogs and toads…probably leeches in there too…anything else, I couldn't say. But, I guess there's only one way to find out for sure…" Jo heaved her pack up onto her shoulders before glancing down at the swamp.  
" How did I know you were going to say that?" Aradia groaned, doing the same.  
" I'd suggest you pull your cloak up and wrap it around your pack. We know they're pretty impervious to water and we'll dry out if we get wet, the supplies and other things won't!" Jo suggested, hoisting up the bottom of Aradia's cloak and then tucking it in around the edges of her pack, swathing it in the waterproof material. Soon everyone had done the same. " There are probably going to be midges and mozzies in there too…so I'd pull your hoods up as well!" Jo grinned before pulling Aradia's hood up over her head and down over eyes.  
" Yes, thank you Jo," Aradia sniped, yanking the hood back so she could see once again. " Because I couldn't have done that myself…"  
Jo merely grinned at her and wandered off to help Guillaume sort out his pack and cloak.  
" So, anything on the map, Phil-" Marius started before swallowed back the rest of his words and throwing a look of sorrow at Jo. " I'm sorry, it just came out…I didn't mean..."  
" Don't worry Marius, it's ok," Jo smiled gently.  
" Well," Mark pulled the map out of his pack carefully and examined it. " To be honest I can't see any kind of trail if that's what you mean," He lifted it up over his head then lowered it back down. " No hidden markings either…I don't think the map maker, whoever it was, did much exploration over here…least of all in the swamps…" The map was folded up and put back safely inside Mark's pack. " I think we're on our own on this one…"  
Jo let out a long sigh as she let her gaze drift out over the swamps.  
" The castles in the far East of the marshes right?" Jo explained to the others. " So…if we head for where the sun rises every morning then at least we'll be going in roughly the right direction…the actual route, I reckon we're just going to have to make that up as we go along…"  
There was a brief pause while they all looked at what lay ahead. This was the point of no return in their quest. They were leaving behind a land which they were fighting to save and heading into the lands where darkness ruled. Lands that were under the power of Obsequious.  
" If any of you don't want to go…" Jo started hesitantly. " This is arguably the most dangerous thing we'll have done so far. We don't know what lies ahead, but I think I can safely say it's not going to be pleasant…" She glanced at each of them in turn. " I'll understand if any of you wish to stay here."  
There was a pause while some of them exchanged glances.  
" Don't be daft!" Mark grinned taking a step towards the edge of the bank. " This is going to be the best bit!"  
" So don't be thinking you're going to keep all this excitement and adventure to yourself!" Jenny winked.  
" Shall we then…?" Jo smiled, gesturing towards the mud below before taking a step over the edge of the bank and starting to slide down the other side. She hit the muddy waters with a pretty impressive splash but remained upright. She turned back to look up at the others, mud splattered on her face but a huge grin visible too. " It's easy! Just keep your balance and it's not too bad!"  
One by one the others slid down to join her. Admittedly some fared slightly better than others. Martin managed to slide in head first somehow and when Billabong tried it at the same time as Glyndwr and Bertrande he managed to take them both with him and half drown most of the others with the splash that resulted.  
Once they were all stood in the waist deep water they started on their trek through the swamplands. Using the trees to haul them selves along. Occasionally finding a narrow strip of grass covered land to walk along for a little while.  
It was slow going and it was hard work. It was also _very_ unpleasant. Several times their progress had been halted by someone finding a leech upon them, screaming and refusing to go on until someone removed it.  
" Aradia, we're never going to get anywhere if you keep stopping us like this!" Jo exclaimed, pulling one from the princess' forearm and throwing it as far away as she could before continuing.  
Once or twice someone managed to get their cloak and pack tangled in a tree or their foot stuck in mud.

By the time the sky had started to darken ahead of them they had left the forest behind but they didn't think they had gone very far at all.  
Finding a large patch of dry mud they hauled themselves up and out of the waters and started to set up camp. Jo's theory about their cloaks and the packs had been correct and they soon started a fire and organised a small meal from their supplies. The dead trees around them also proved to be a ready supply of fresh firewood, although it was damp and smoked profusely at first, it at least kept them warm.  
They also pitched up a couple of the tents they had found in Aesina. One for the girls and one for the boys on the basis that shared body heat would be a good thing with the cold, damp air seeming to seep down to their very bones. There wasn't enough room inside for everyone to lay down but they could all sit with their backs in the middle, leaning on each other with their legs either crossed in front of them or stretched out. Ordinarily the sheer discomfort would have been enough to keep most of them awake but the exhaustion they felt was more than it had been so far. The amounts of effort they had had to use to haul themselves through the cold waters and sucking mud had tired them all out completely and it wasn't long before both tents were full of the sounds of heavy, regular breathing and the occasional snore.  
The next morning the friends awoke to a darker grey sky and the air filled with fine rain. They quickly packed up their belongings before the rain could do too much damage, wrapping their cloaks around them once they were on their backs then continuing. Their hoods helped in as much as it prevented the rain from running into their eyes and blurring their vision but when your body's wet from the stomach down, having a dry head doesn't really make an awful amount of difference.  
Billabong seemed to have the best idea. He clung to low hanging branches and leapt from dead tree branch to dead tree branch. A technique the friends were quite jealous of and were even considering using until Billabong proved, as Lina had said to him so many weeks before, regits can't climb trees as he lost his balance, the branch he was stood on broke and he fell with a resounding splat into a large pool of stagnant mud. Staining his orange and black fur with filth and turning it dark brown. With a very put out expression, he hauled himself out of the mud and onto a bank. He looked so bedraggled and forlorn that the friends couldn't even find it in themselves to laugh. That and the fact that they probably didn't look much better either.  
They squelched onwards for the rest of the day, until what little light there was started to fade. Making the difficult terrain almost impossible to navigate.  
Wet, cold and tired the friends felt a small sense of triumph as they found an island of dry earth. They quickly built a fire and began to dry off their clothes and cloaks. The small island that they had discovered was surrounded with rocks and here and there was a dead tree, providing a fortunate supply of wood. The flat ground in the centre was quite wide and they worked out that there was enough room to put up all seven of the tents that they had found in Aesina.  
They sat and ate a small but thankfully warm meal later that evening, keeping themselves warm by the fire.  
" What I wouldn't give for a hot roast beef sandwich right now…" Mark sighed as he stretched his legs out for a moment or two beside the crackling flames.  
" Bacon for me!" Jenny grinned. " Smoked and crispy in fresh white bread…"  
" Mmm yeah, with some nice tangy salsa…" Jo added with a wistful smile.  
" _Salsa_?" Rosie exclaimed loudly. " You _are_ joking, right?"  
" Nope," Jo smirked. " Discovered it by accident once but it's gorgeous…"  
" Well, I don't know what salsa is, tangy or otherwise, but a joint of ham would be wonderful right about now!" Martin said, laughing.  
" A t-bone steak for me," groaned Amos hungrily, " with lots of fried potatoes and pepper sauce…just the way my grandma used to make it…"  
" When this is all over," Aradia started, " I'm going to organise the biggest feast the kingdom has ever known and I'm going to eat and eat and eat and eat until I can't do it anymore."  
" Sounds good to me!" Lina agreed as her stomach gave an appreciatory rumble at the idea of so much food you couldn't eat it all, no matter how you tried.  
A loud splash in the water beyond the rocks halted their cheery conversation and made most of them leap to their feet, swords and daggers instinctively in their hands.  
" I think I speak for most of us when I say, what the _hell_ was that?" Simon hissed.  
" Maybe it was a rock…" Bertrande suggested but the frightened tone of her voice let the others know she wasn't even fooling herself with that explanation.  
" What if it was one of those Gatey things…" Glyndwr wet his lips anxiously.  
" Gator? Possibly…" Jo admitted, " But I'm not about to go wading about in the dark to find out, and if you think I'm going to let any of you go either then you've got another thing coming!"  
" So what do we do…?" Martin asked.  
" Well," Jo thought for a moment. " The only thing I can suggest is maybe building another couple of fires around the edge of the tents, we've got more than enough wood on this island, that might keep them away…"  
" And if it doesn't…?" asked Aradia quietly as the others began to start collecting together as much wood as they could.  
" Then we'll deal with that when we have to…" Jo squeezed her shoulder before going to help the others gather up the fuel they needed.  
A moment later, Guillaume appeared at Jo's side.  
" What do you think it was…?" He asked after a moment or two.  
" Dunno, could have been a frog or an eel or something…" Jo shrugged. " But your guess is as good as mine."  
" Jo…" All of a sudden Guillaume's voice refused to continue.  
" Yes?"  
" Jo…" Once again words failed him.  
" Guillaume, are you alright?" Jo asked, looking up from her bundle of wood her tone concerned.  
" I'm fine," Guillaume lied, he'd never felt this nervous before. Ever. " I just…"  
" Yes…?"  
" Will you come with me…I want to…to…" He paused and ran a nervous hand through his hair. " Will you come…?"  
Jo's eyes examined the face looking down at her for a moment or two, a slight frown of confusion creasing her brow, before smiling softly.  
" Of course I will."  
Guillaume sighed with enormous relief as she put down her wood before he took her hand and led her towards the rocks and away from the others, taking deep breaths all the while to try and remain calm.  
The time was right.

**Lyrics from 'Abide with Me' written by Henry Lyte (1847) and William H. Monk (1861)**


	48. PART 84

Guillaume and Jo wandered over a few over the smaller rocks and found themselves stood on a small mud bank on the edge of the 'island'.  
Above them the moon was trying in vain to break the cloud blanketing sky, only succeeding in giving an eerie glow to the clouds above.  
Jo shivered slightly as a cold breeze passed by them, Guillaume instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her closer.  
" So…now that you've got me here…" Jo hugged him tighter, pulling herself even closer against him. " What do you want with me…?" She looked up into his face with an eyebrow slightly raised.  
" I want to tell you something," Guillaume eventually replied.  
" Well I'm all ears…" Jo sighed, snuggling closer into the crook of his arm.  
" Ok…alright…well…" He swallowed nervously. " A lot's happened in the last few days…"  
" You think?" Jo smiled.  
" More so than usual," Guillaume grinned back. " And it's…well, it's made me think about a lot of things…"  
" Me too," Jo sighed, squeezing his hand tighter for a moment. " Makes you think about what's really important…"  
" Exactly," Guillaume suddenly found his voice was refusing to cooperate with him, sounding less like his usual deep tones and more like an over excited young boy.  
" Are you _sure_ you're alright?" Jo's voice was once again concerned.  
" Yeah…fine…" Guillaume coughed, trying desperately to bring his voice back. He couldn't ask her sounding like that. He just couldn't. " This isn't exactly how I'd planned on doing this…" Guillaume said quietly before he took a deep breath as he tried to quell the loud thundering of his heart echoing in his ears. " Definitely the last place I thought we'd be that's for sure."  
" Well I certainly wouldn't want to be here if we didn't have to be." Jo agreed before turning a slightly bemused look towards him. " But are you going to let me in on whatever it is you're talking about any time soon? Or am I just going to have to guess…?"  
Guillaume sighed.  
" That's what I'm _trying_ to do…!" He groaned, throwing his gaze skyward.  
Jo bit her lip slightly.  
" Well maybe, and this is just an idea, maybe you should just take a deep breath and say whatever it is you're feeling…and we'll take it from there…"  
Guillaume looked back down at her and sighed again with a slight smile.  
" Alright…" He somehow managed to get out before taking several deep breaths, after the first one failed to do anything significant.  
" Jo…" He whispered eventually.  
" Yes, Guillaume," Jo replied quietly not wanting to interrupt him.  
" Jo…I don't think you know just how much I love you," Guillaume's voice was barely above a murmur but Jo could hear every word as clearly as if he were shouting them. " How much you mean to me…" His dark eyes smiled softly. " When I'm awake, all I do is think of you, at night you're in my dreams. I can't imagine my life without you in it, how I lived before I met you is a mystery to me now…"  
" Oh Guillaume, I-"  
" No please, let me finish," Guillaume stopped Jo, laying a trembling finger on her lips. " It's taken me this long to work up the courage to do this, if I don't say this to you now…"  
Jo smiled and nodded, signalling her silence, even though the urge to scream with nervous excitement and throw her arms around him was growing with every second.  
" There is so much I want to tell you but…how to say it evades me," His dark brows knitted together briefly. " I'm not even sure if the words exist to convey it properly…so…" All of a sudden Guillaume found that his throat had gone dry again and that his hands were shaking as he tried to reach into his pocket.  
" Guillaume…what…?" Jo face held a kind of excited bewilderment as Guillaume struggled to pull something out of his pocket.  
" I have wanted to do this, to say this to you ever since I met you…" Guillaume began to lower himself down onto one knee.  
Suddenly Jo found tears pricking at her eyes and her entire body was trembling, to say nothing of the butterflies running riot inside her.  
Guillaume opened his hand to reveal what had been in his pocket, a ring. It was simple but stunning. A single, what looked like a diamond, stone was held in a plain band of silver metal. The stone was sparkling, even in the darkness of the swamp; it seemed to have some kind of inner light.  
" Oh, it's beautiful…" Jo gasped looking down at it open mouthed.  
" Not as beautiful as you," Guillaume smiled back broadly before taking a deep breath. " Jo, whenever I think of the future and of how I might live it, you are always in my thoughts…so please, will you marry me and make those dreams and wishes a reality…?"  
" Yes, yes of course I will," Jo beamed, the tears of joy that had been building now tumbling down her cheeks unchecked.  
Guillaume gently took hold of her hand and gently pushed the ring onto her finger. A look of pure elation on his face.  
" I know that I have very little to offer you…" He smiled up at her. " Nothing at all in fact…"  
" I want nothing more than to be able to love you until…until…" Jo's eyes sparkled as she insisted eagerly. " …until the sun and stars no longer shine and forever has passed us by." She dropped to her knees in front of him and kissed his lips quickly. " I love you with all my heart Guillaume, I have nothing more to offer you than that and I would want nothing more than that from you." She hugged him tightly. The pair of them knelt in the mud, both oblivious to the chill and the discomfort, only aware of each other and their own happiness. Minutes slipped past before they both knelt back on their heels, just looking at each other.  
" I can't believe this just happened," Jo grinned, her eyes fixed on Guillaume's.  
" Me neither!" The smile on his face that looked like it couldn't get any wider, grew slightly. " And you're sure…you're sure this is what you want…?" He asked, the grin shrinking ever so slightly as a serious tone entered his voice.  
" Well, now that you come to mention it," Jo frowned slightly and looked down at the mud below them. " I don't think this _is_ what I want…"  
Guillaume couldn't prevent the gasp that came out of his mouth even if he'd wanted to.  
" No, it isn't," Jo looked back up, that familiar twinkle appearing in her eyes. " It's _all_ I've _ever_ wanted!" She leant forwards and kissed him once again before he could reply.  
" Oh God…for a moment there I thought…" Guillaume groaned as they parted.  
" Well ask a stupid question…!" Jo smirked.  
" Do you mind if I suggest something…?" Guillaume asked.  
" You may suggest anything you want," She grinned back.  
" Do you mind if we get up, only…" Guillaume grimaced slightly. " Only I can't feel my knees…!"  
" I was waiting for one of us to say that, if you hadn't have asked just now I was going to in a moment's time!" Jo laughed as they struggled to stand up.  
Once they were back on their feet, waiting as the feeling seeped back into their lower legs, they stood and just looked at each other.  
" I do love you, so much," Jo whispered.  
" I love you more," Guillaume grinned, bringing his face down to hers to kiss the tip of her nose.  
" I think you'll find I love you more…but we'll continue this discussion later!" Jo grinned before he could challenge her again. " We should be getting back to the others…they'll probably be about to come charging after us thinking we've been attacked by giant Alligators and killer Leeches!"  
" I was very surprised that one of them didn't actually walk in on the middle of my proposal!" Guillaume laughed as they started to head back over the rocks.  
" I can't wait to tell them," Jo said with a slight groan as the lowered herself over a particularly large boulder. " What do you think they'll say…?".

" About bloody time!" Martin whooped, enveloping his fellow Artigatian in a bear hug that would have crushed lesser men as soon as Jo and Guillaume had returned and shared their news.  
" Oh Jo, that's so wonderful…" Rosie hugged her own friend tightly.  
" Martin's right, what took you two so long?" Mark winked, shaking Guillaume's hand before turning to give Jo a kiss on the cheek and warm hug.  
" Well, you know," Guillaume smirked, " I was waiting for the perfect, romantic situation and spot…somewhere that would be memorable…"  
" And you don't get any more memorable than in the middle of a swamp!" Jo laughed as she embraced Lina and then Simon.  
" Congratulations to the both of you," Aradia beamed, kissing the cheeks of both Jo and Guillaume before Billabong, obviously realising that something happy was happening, jumped onto his back legs and bowled both Jo and Guillaume over, licking one face then the other with his big pink tongue.  
" Thanks to you too!" Jo giggled trying to fend off the giant regit.  
" Oi, Billabong!" Guillaume groaned as the regit practically laid on top of him, purring noisily.  
After a moment or two's struggle, Lina and Simon eventually helped Jo and Guillaume heave Billabong from on top of them and helped them back onto their feet.  
" He's just happy for you both…" Lina laughed, stroking Billabong's head as he sat beside her.  
" Well so am I but you don't see _me_ doing that to Jo do you?" Guillaume exclaimed.  
" Not yet no!" Simon grinned before dodging out of the reach of Guillaume's fist that came swinging towards his head.  
" Actually, not to put too finer a point on it but…" Jo's cheeks began to flush. " But I wouldn't mind, even if it's just for tonight, being able to be alone with my future husband…" Now Guillaume's face became slightly tinged with pink. " I think we can all appreciate we're in the calm before the proverbial storm and I would like to make the most of it…wouldn't _you_?"  
The married friends before her smiled sheepishly as they exchanged knowing glances.  
" Not to put a damper on anything but…but you can't go off in the dark though, there might not be another one of these islands around for miles…" Lucy frowned.  
Jo laughed.  
" You're right but I have a solution that's a lot closer to hand…" She grinned as she gestured to their tents. " I've worked it out, there are seven tents and fourteen of us, enough for all of us to share with our respective partners but…" Jo turned a slightly apprehensive glance at Aradia, " It would mean you'd have to share with Glyndwr…"  
The Meander and the Princess shared a guilty look, their minds going back to that morning by the lake at Aesina.  
" I think we could just about cope…" Glyndwr smirked as Aradia smiled at him.  
" That's what I thought…" Jo smirked quietly, continuing before either Aradia or Glyndwr could voice their indignation at her comment. " So, if that's ok with everyone…I think it's time we said goodnight!"  
The friends said their 'Goodnights' to each other, piling wood upon their fires to ward away anything that might come investigating in the middle of the night as none of them were going to be in any mood to keep watch. Then, in their couples, they each headed into a tent.  
Inside their tent Jo and Guillaume were stood, just grinning at each other again.  
" Now…I know you're a good Catholic boy, or at least you _were_ once," Jo smirked. " And I wouldn't want to make you do anything that you didn't want to but…all I want to do is be able to wake up next to you tomorrow and know that sometime soon…I'll be able to do that for the rest of my life…"  
" You mean, just sleep next to each other…?" Guillaume asked. Jo nodded. He thought for a minute before looking back at her with a twinkle in his eyes. " Well I've spent God knows how long trying to ask you to marry me and now that I've finally got you, you think we should just _sleep_…? To quote you, 'Are you having a laugh?'" With that he pulled her towards him and kissed her firmly.  
Jo kissed him back and as they fell onto their blankets in each others arms, as was happening in every other tent on their 'island', none of them cared that an Alligator was outside finishing off the leftovers of their meal.  
Later that night, Jo and Guillaume were laid in their blankets, their arms around each other as they lay face to face.  
" Are you alright…?" Guillaume whispered quietly.  
" Yes thank you," Jo sighed back. " Are you…?"  
" Very much, yes," Guillaume replied.  
" Do you love me…?" Jo asked playfully.  
" Of course I do…do you?"  
" Nope," Jo winked once again. " I adore you!"  
Jo and Guillaume kissed each other once more and soon afterwards they fell asleep in each other's arms and didn't move until daybreak.


	49. PART 85

There had only been a few times in his life when Dedra had felt genuinely frightened and this was rapidly becoming one of them.  
He had watched Obsequious' already pale face lose any colour that there might once have been as he had tried explain the events that he preceded his return to the swamplands. Explaining how he had not only failed to _'remove'_ Guillaume as he had been instructed to, but had in fact saved the man's life when the opportunity to kill him had arisen. But more importantly than this, he had not brought Jo with him.  
Dedra stood before Obsequious in the large hall, shifting his weight nervously from one leg to the other and gnawing on his lower lip. Anxiously awaiting Obsequious' reaction.  
Obsequious sat on his throne, one hand propped under his chin. The other was resting on the arm of the throne. His fingers slowly drumming back and forth then the whole hand clenching and unclenching in time with the tightening of his jaw.  
The hall had been silent for several minutes and Dedra was certain he could hear his own heart beat echoing off of the walls.  
" So…" Obsequious said eventually. " Did you actually manage to achieve _anything_ while you were away…?"  
Dedra swallowed noisily.  
" Well, I…er…I'm not…"  
" Having said that at least between the two of us we managed to lessen their number by one," Obsequious cut across him, a strange light glowing in his black eyes.  
" We _did_?" Dedra suddenly felt very cold and was sure his heart had stopped beating for a moment.  
" Yes, we did," Obsequious' face twisted with an evil smile. " When you fled from the group, Jo and the others were in close pursuit…as I'm sure you remember,"  
" They must have found my note," Dedra said quietly.  
" Jo ran on ahead, after the others were…_delayed_ momentarily," Obsequious continued, either not hearing or choosing to ignore Dedra's comment, the wicked smile growing all the time. " There was some old man who came after her…"  
" Phillipe?" Dedra offered, hoping Obsequious wouldn't hear the faint falter in his voice as he did so.  
" I assume so," Obsequious sniffed. " Doesn't matter anymore really…" His tone became darker. Dedra found he had to swallow again before he could respond.  
" What…what happened?"  
" Well, Jo ran exactly where I wanted her to," The dark lord smirked with satisfaction. " She was almost mine…when that, Phillipe was it? He ran in right after her and blocked my spell," Obsequious let out a small huff of annoyance. " Anyway…he got in the way and so I…" He tailed off, the malicious smirk on his face increasing with each passing moment.  
" You mean he's…he's…" Dedra gasped.  
" Dead?" Obsequious offered cheerfully before finishing gleefully. " Yes, he is. As a doornail in fact!"  
It was a hard fought battle that Dedra somehow won, against the overwhelming urge to cry that welled up inside him. The image of Phillipe's face appeared in his mind, and would not go away. The pale, intelligent eyes set in a stern but approachable face. His long steel coloured hair tied back from his copper-toned skin, broad shoulders that could still carry sizable burdens. One of his rare but incredibly warm smiles on his lips. A smile that would never be seen again. Dedra clenched his jaw tightly to hold back the cry that was desperate to be let out.  
" I take it…" Dedra wet his lips slightly. " I take it this pleases you, sir?"  
" Naturally," Obsequious all but laughed, rising slowly from his throne. Black robes rippling around him eerily as he made his way over to Dedra. " _You_, however, have _not_ pleased me…" His tone became menacing as did his expression. His black eyes threatening to burn straight through Dedra's face.  
" No, my Lord," Dedra could feel nervous sweat trying to break out across his forehead. " I am sorry, my Lord."  
" I'm _sure_ you are," Obsequious snorted, his tone indicating the exact opposite of his words. " Well…" Obsequious turned away and swept across the hall's floor, allowing Dedra a chance to take a deep breath while his back was turned. " _Hopefully_ you will do as you are instructed at some point before too long…but for now we have more pressing matters." Obsequious turned back around, his cloak fanning out behind him momentarily, giving the impression of large black wings. " Jo and her _friends_ are in the swamps even now…I anticipate their arrival here at the castle will not be more than a few days away…" The dark lord's eyes narrowed, becoming two thin black slits in his ghostly white face. " Which at least gives us time to prepare…"  
" Prepare?" Dedra found the question tumbling out of his mouth before he even realised it.  
" A kind of welcoming committee for them…" Obsequious chuckled before adding sharply to a guard by the door, " Ready the troops, I want them outside the castle by the river for when they arrive!"  
" Yes sir," The guard muttered before running quickly out of sight.  
" And as for you Dedra…"  
" Yes sir?" Dedra felt his entire body go cold as his name was spoken, dreading what Obsequious wanted to tell him.  
" Go and see that Mithras is awake…wouldn't want him to miss this little _reunion_!" Obsequious' lips curved into a vicious smile as he started to move towards the door.  
" About Jo," Dedra swallowed nervously. He _had_ to say something. His conscience wouldn't let him go on if he didn't at least _try_ to prevent the inevitable happening. " I was thinking-"  
" Well, we both know that's not your strong suite is it?" Obsequious smirked. " It's _mine_!"  
" Well yes, but-"  
" Where would you be without me?" The dark lord asked pointedly.  
" I…I don't know…" Dedra sighed looking at the floor.  
" I'll tell you. You'd. Be. Dead." Obsequious enunciated each word harshly. " I've kept you alive all these years, god knows why seeing as all you do is disappoint me," His black eyes narrowed maliciously. " Your life is in my hands my _friend_, don't forget that!" Obsequious swept past him towards the door. Just before slamming the door behind him, " So leave the thinking to me. I have plans for her. Plans that have been laid for too long to be upset by a _imbecile_ like you!" he threw back cruelly before the resounding crash of the slamming door resounded around Dedra like a merciless laugh.  
Dedra ran a shaking hand through his hair, and then across his jaw, trying to think of a way out of the hell he was quickly disappearing into.  
Maybe if he spoke to Mithras, warned him almost of what lay ahead.  
Dedra groaned inside. He didn't know exactly what lay ahead. Obsequious obviously doubted or suspected him enough to no longer keep him completely involved on his plans anymore.  
Dedra gnawed on his lip thoughtfully. He was running out of options. And so were the friends he was hoping to save. His only hope was that Mithras might have some idea, some plan that might save them, and save him.  
In the darkness of the castle, the hope that a former friend would hold the answer to his most desperate prayers was all that burned in his heart as he made his way through the bleak corridors and down towards the dungeons.

Mithras could hear footsteps pounding on the stones above, before thundering down the stairway into the dungeons in which he was being held. Such footsteps usually heralded a beating of one sort or another.  
The former tutor forced his eyes to open, blearily looking around his cell, trying to focus. His eye had almost healed but somehow he doubted whether it would ever work as fully as it had once done.  
Noises outside confirmed his gut feeling that whoever it was that was out there, was here to see him.  
The cell door groaned on its hinges as it was pulled open. A flaming torch was thrust inside the cell, the sudden bright light causing Mithras to close his eyes and wince. Once he was sure the searing pain had lessened, Mithras slowly opened his eyes. A wall-mounted torch in his cell had been lit, bathing the black walls with it's dancing orange light. Frowning he looked around until his gaze fell upon the person that had entered.  
Dedra was stood just inside the door, which had closed again. His arms folded over his chest. His face wearing an expression of discomfort and, Mithras was pretty sure, nervousness.  
" Dedra," Mithras eventually managed to mutter.  
" Mithras," came the curt reply.  
" Oh, but where are my manners…do take a seat, my old _friend_!" Mithras' voice was hoarse but his tone unmistakable.  
Dedra couldn't bring himself to reply; harshly, bitterly or otherwise. He merely moved a little further inside the cell and leant uneasily against the wall, the torch light illuminating his pale eyes.  
" So…is this merely a social call or have you come to actually _do_ something?" Mithras asked after a moment or two had slipped past.  
" I…I wanted to speak to you…" Dedra replied.  
" Well go on then…" Mithras urged coldly.  
" It's about, well it's about Jo and the others," Dedra paused as Mithras looked up at him.  
" What about them?" The tutor asked uncertainly. " If any of them have been hurt…I swear I'll…"  
" You'll _what_?" Dedra threw back, the tone of the tutors voice causing his anger to rise briefly.  
Mithras didn't answer. He didn't have to. His eyes glared their response into Dedra's, blazing their silent threats into his soul.  
" They're on their way here," Dedra eventually continued.  
" You mean, they're in the swamps?" Mithras demanded.  
" My ma-, I mean, Obsequious thinks they will be here in a matter of days…" Dedra bit back on the word master, he hated to reveal his level of fear for the dark lord.  
Mithras' face became thoughtful, brow furrowed with thought.  
" Then that means they must…" He murmured almost too quietly to be heard, before catching Dedra's watchful eye. His tone became sarcastic as he continued. " Well thank you for telling me, I shall have to make sure I have my tunic cleaned especially for their arrival."  
" Mithras, this is not the time for jokes!" Dedra groaned. "This is serious!"  
" No, is it?" Mithras couldn't resist one more jibe.  
" I came to warn you," Dedra explained. " To see if there was something that could be done to prevent what Obsequious has planned…"  
" They're not _his_ plans to spoil," Mithras murmured as he slumped back against the wall.  
Dedra sat down on his heels before the tutor, sandy eyebrows raised in enquiry.  
" The plans he is following have been laid for longer than you realise…" Mithras explained vaguely.  
" Which means…?" Dedra asked outright.  
" Which means, you might as well go back to your _master_ and do what he tells you to do…like the good little lap dog you are…"  
Dedra bit his tongue, hard.  
" Jo and the others are in danger, Mithras, there might be something I can do to…"  
" If you still think that there might be something you can do to actually _help_ somebody then you're more stupid than I gave you credit for…"  
" Any chance of you keeping your smart comments to yourself for a minute or two," Dedra snapped. " Can't you just forget how things were between us when we were children and-" " I hardly think the time for catching up on old times and swapping stories of our youth is _now_…do you…?" Mithras winced as he tried to sit up straighter, his ribs sending waves of pain throughout his body.  
" Will you help me or not…?" Dedra straightened up and stood by the door. " If you're just going to be childish then I might as well go now and try to figure something out on my own…"  
" What is this sudden obsession of yours to help everybody?" Mithras' eyes narrowed slightly.  
" It isn't an obsession…" Dedra frowned, " I just feel that…that I should at least try to do _something_…"  
" What, make up for all your past mistakes you mean? An attempt to wipe the proverbial slate clean…"  
" I want to help them," Dedra continued, " They helped me when they found me, they trusted me, they almost made me feel like I was…like I was…"  
" One of them?" Mithras scoffed. " Please, you can't be serious…"  
" Like I was not unfounded in my hopes for peace one day…that I wasn't wrong to think that there might be another way than that of Obsequious…" Dedra replied, throwing a harsh look towards the tutor.  
" And that's why you deceived and lied to them is it?" An eyebrow rose on Mithras' face.  
" I did what I did because I couldn't see that I had any option…" Dedra ran a hand through his hair. " I wanted to prevent this, to help them…to do something to thank them for what they did for me…" " Well now, _thanks to you_, they are almost right where Obsequious wants them to be!" Mithras snapped.  
" Look, this _isn't_ my fault, I didn't _mean_ for any of this to happen…" Dedra turned back to face his former friend. " I'm really, really sorry…"  
" Oh well, that's ok then." Mithras bit back harshly. " If you're really, _really_ sorry…then that makes everything alright, doesn't it?"  
His anger got the better of him and Dedra swooped across and hauled Mithras to his feet, pinning him easily against the damp stone wall.  
" Look, this isn't about _me_!" Dedra all but yelled into his face. " Hell, it isn't even about _you_!"  
" Oh dear god, just as well you were holding me up, I might otherwise have fallen over with shock!" Mithras spat as sarcastically as he could. " You, _Dedra_, thinking about someone else for a change!"  
" Won't you ever get off that high horse of yours," Dedra shot back instantly, " So what if I _was_ selfish back then? You were the royal tutor, all you had to worry about was getting to your eighteen course meals and your parties on time…what do _you_ know of the _real_ world. Some of us had more serious things to do back then, some of us had to grow up! And for a few of us, we had to do it the hard way…" Dedra argued heatedly.  
" Spare me the martyr speech…_please_…" Mithras yawned.  
" You think I _wanted_ to be what I've become?" Dedra yelled. " Did you really think that when we were children _this_ was the way I saw myself as an adult? That this is how I thought it all would end…?"  
" Nobody _made_ you…" Mithras retorted, almost childishly, but was cut off as Dedra's hands regained their grip on his tunic, hoisting him up slightly.  
" Wrong," Dedra whispered darkly. " _Everybody_ made me!" He released his hold, dropping Mithras back against the wall as he rose to his feet and skulked across the cell angrily. Pressed his forehead against the cold, damp stone Dedra took a deep breath. " A lot happened back then that shouldn't have, that I'm not proud of and if I could only turn back the time and change what I _did_ and what I _didn't_ do, then I would…but I _can't_…" He glanced back across the celled at the bruised and battered man before him. " All I can do is try to do something about what's happening now, but if all you're going to do is keep bringing up the unchangeable, and focus on what we _did_ instead of what we need to _do_ then I might as well not bother…"  
" Even if I _wanted_ to help you, which I don't by the way, there's nothing you or I can do now…the chance to intervene has passed…what happens now is up to Jo and the others…" Mithras sighed heavily. " You gave up your chance to help them the day they found you and you chose to lie and cheat them…instead of telling the truth and warning them of just what they're walking into here!"  
Dedra found his grip loosen on Mithras' clothes and watched as the tutor slide back down to the ground, he stepped back slightly.  
" You're wrong…there must be something…"  
" There isn't," came Mithras' short reply.  
" You're wrong," Dedra repeated as he banged on the door for the guards to let him out. The door groaned open once more and Dedra stepped outside. " I will _not_ give up on this…I will see this plan upturned, I swear it! They didn't give up on me when they should have done…and I won't give up on them either!" With that Dedra disappeared and Mithras watched as the door was flung shut, the draft blowing out the torch on the wall, plunging him back into darkness once more.


	50. PART 86

The morning was quiet, pale light filtering through the orange toned material of the tent bathed those inside with warm light.  
Jo sighed and adjusted the position she had been laying in. She was laying on her side, her head resting on an arm, while the other arm was stretched out before her, the hand held in Guillaume's, resting upon his chest. He was laid on his back beside her, eyes closed, breathing the slow, deep breaths of one peacefully asleep.  
She wasn't sure of just how long she had laid watching him but she didn't care. He looked so peaceful, so calm. She didn't want to disturb him, as much as the urge to kiss him was constantly whispering itself in her ear, the chance to look into those amazingly deep brown eyes of his. But to do that would mean waking him, and that she could not bring herself to do. It was the relaxation and obvious comfort on his face that made her feel so much more calm herself, she could almost forget where they were and what lay ahead of them such was it's effect.  
His dark hair fell back from his tanned face, onto the makeshift pillow beneath his head that they had made by grabbing one of their cloaks and rolling it up. The golden brown of his tanned face only broken by the two thins bands of black formed by his thick eyelashes and above that were those wonderfully expressive eyebrows lay delicately arched above them. His body was so warm, Jo could feel it radiating from him. She snuggled slightly closer to him but winced as she sensed him waking up.  
Guillaume stretched his body slightly, muscles tensing for a moment before his eyes opened ever so slightly before a wide, soft smile curved his mouth.  
" How long have you been watching me?" He asked, his eyes slipping shut again while his hold on her hand increasing for a moment or two.  
" A while," Jo replied, sliding closer to him now that the damage had already been done and nestling in his shoulder. " And I'd lie here watching you forever if I could…" She lifted her head to gently kiss his skin and then lowered her head to rest against his chest once more.  
" Did you sleep ok…?" He murmured, letting go of her hand to reach up and rub his eyes sleepily.  
" Yes thank you, like a log," Jo smiled. " You?"  
" Very well thankyou," Guillaume replied. " Even your snoring didn't disturb me too much…"  
" My what?" Jo demanded, propping herself up on her elbow, her long hair trailing down behind her.  
" Oh don't worry, you weren't _too_ loud," Guillaume assured her.  
" I do _not_ snore!" Jo exclaimed.  
" How would you know? You were asleep…" Guillaume threw back, but the smile twitching on his lips and twinkling in his eyes betrayed him.  
" If I didn't love you, I would have to kill you for such an insult…" Jo smirked, trying to remain serious but failing miserably.  
" How can I make it up to you…?" Guillaume asked dramatically, propping himself up beside her.  
" Hmm…" Jo thought. " I'm not sure…"  
" How about this…" Guillaume suggested, leaning forwards and kissing her softly, while using his arm to move her elbow and lay her back down. He looked down at her, lying beneath him, a happy smile on her face. " Did that work?"  
" Well…it was a start…" Jo winked with a broad smile, before pulling him back down to kiss him again.  
A few minutes later they were laid side by side once more, jut looking over one another's faces, fingers entwined between them.  
" I have to admit, sleeping next to you is now one of my most favouritest things to do," Jo smiled lazily.  
" _Favouritest_…Is that a word?"  
" It is now!" Jo grinned lazily with a sigh, " Anyway, that's not the point I was making…"  
" But we've slept by each other's sides before…" Guillaume's eyes twinkled mischievously.  
" We have, you're right, but never dressed like this!" Jo smirked in response, lifting the blanket to gaze under it before looking back at him. " Or should I say _undressed_ like this! I think you'll find we were definitely wearing more clothes last time…"  
" You're so clever," He teased.  
" I know," She grinned. " But I must admit, I think I like waking up next to you best of all…"  
A gentle smile spread over Guillaume's face as he kissed her again and then moved so that it was now him lying against her chest. Jo began to stroke her hands over his head. She smiled down as the ring on her finger sparkled amongst the darkness of his hair.  
" I love you," She whispered softly.  
" I love you more…" Guillaume grinned back. " But, as much as I hate to spoil this, we should get up…" He kissed her forehead before pulling back the blanket and starting to get up.  
" No…no…" Jo protested, taking hold of his hand and pulling him back under the blanket, hugging him tightly against her. " Don't go…I want this moment to last forever." For some reason she couldn't quite explain, as she whispered those last few words, a lump began to rise in her throat. As if the last moments of her life were being dragged from her. Jo held him even closer. " I want to be able to hold this memory, the memory of you and me, perfectly in my mind…for always…"  
" And no one's going to stop you Jo," Guillaume soothed, his hand sliding behind her head to stroke the back of her neck. " I'm not leaving you…I just want to get dressed…"  
" Alright then," Jo pouted slightly, releasing her hold and letting him stand up. " But I do think you look incredibly handsome without your clothes!" She smiled broadly as a pink flush covered Guillaume's face. He tossed her shirt over to her and it landed over her head.  
" And you look very nice yourself," He replied after a moment or two spent gathering his composure, while Jo yanked the shirt off of her head. " But I'm not sure we should…" He pondered which word to use for a second. "…_inflict_ our unclothed selves on our friends…do you?"  
Jo laughed as she pulled her shirt properly over her head and stood up to join him.  
" I would hardly call us an _affliction_…but I know what you mean!"  
They kissed each other once more, before concentrating on getting dressed.  
Jo was the first to step out of the tent and look around at their camp. Everything was pretty much as they had left it the night before. The only difference being the fires had all but burnt out and it was now light outside.  
The swamp it's self was very still, the waters surrounding their small island were unmoving and a light breeze played around them. Unlike the previous days, there were snatches of blue sky above them, flashing here and there as clouds passed overhead.

" Looks like it might actually be a nice day for a change," Rosie's voice came from the other side of the clearing. " Morning…you two, well, have a good night?" She grinned as she wandered over to them.  
" Yes thanks," Jo replied. " You?"  
" Very good thank you…" Rosie smiled, although more to herself then either of the friends stood before her.  
" Where's Marius? He not up yet?" Guillaume asked, appearing behind Jo, kissing the back of her neck quickly as he allowed his arms to wrap around her waist.  
" Oh no, he's awake," came the slightly annoyed reply from a little way away.  
" I take it from that comment that you'd rather not be," Jo smiled as innocently as she could manage as slightly grumpy and definitely ruffled looking Marius joined them.  
" You may," He said. Kissing his wife's forehead as he reached her side. " Anyway, I guess I would have had to get up sooner or later…although I don't see why there was such a rush for it to be sooner…" He groaned. " I don't see the hurry or desperation to be hauling ourselves through waist deep, leech filled, disgusting water myself…" The young Frenchmen wrinkling his finely shaped nose at the swamp surrounding them.  
" Neither do I but just be thankful it doesn't smell too badly any more!" Jo laughed.  
Shortly afterwards every one else was awake and there was a definite air of peace and general happiness in the make shift camp. They ate lazily and packed up their tents almost as if this were no more than a holiday, lots of smiles and happy sighs being thrown amongst the couples. But eventually they knew they had to make a start and as the sun rose steady in the sky above, with the clouds skipping across the sky with an increasingly strong wind, they lowered themselves into the waters and started their journey once more.  
The terrain had become slightly more alive, in that there appeared to be lots more trees and creepers littering the landscape. The waters were becoming greener and a lot more sludgy in consistency with algae and mosses. There were also a lot more midges and biting insects in the air but they simply pulled their hoods closer and tried to ignore the almost constant buzzing in their ears.  
By nightfall they felt tired but sure they had come much further than they had before. They hauled themselves out onto a mossy bank, formed mainly out of fallen branches and dead trees, but it seemed sturdy enough and definitely drier than in the water so they built a fire within one of their smaller pans and spread their cloaks over the branches above them to form a roof in case of rain or a heavy dew fall.  
There wasn't enough room for the tents but they arranged their emptied packs and settled down against tree trunks and larger patches of moss to sleep. The midges seemed to drift away once the sun had gone down and the only insects that seemed to stick around were the few moths that had been drawn by their fire's light.  
Then the peace was shattered by a sound that the friends hadn't heard in a long while and had almost forgotten. But as soon as they heard it, the same frightened, unsure feeling took over all of them. It was the sound of a scream. The terrified cry of one of them. It was Jo.  
As they were jerked awake, they looked over to see her pale and shaking in Guillaume's arms, his face as confused and concerned as any of those looking across at them. Jo's eyes were wide and shining with fear, her cheeks pale and a faint sheen of nervous sweat on her brow. Her hands clung to Guillaume the way a frightened child clings to a parent.  
" You alright…?" Lina asked, her voice sleepy but her eyes alive with worry.  
" What happened…?" Rosie placed a few more sticks onto the dying fire causing the flames to dance up merrily for a moment or two, illuminating Jo's shocked face.  
" It…he…" Jo frowned as the words refused to come out of her mouth properly. " I thought _he_ was here…"  
" Who? Who was here?" Martin and Simon demanded almost in unison, drawing their swords slightly and looking out warily into the darkness surrounding them.  
" It was so cold and he was so close…" Jo's eyes shut tightly for a moment or two before reopening to let a tear roll down her cheek. " The air was full of evil, swirling all around me…he was pulling at me, trying to take me away, but I didn't want to go…his voice was everywhere, echoing in my head. He was whispering my name, over and over…I tried to pull free, to run away but…I couldn't get away…" She hugged Guillaume's arm tighter. "…I couldn't get away…"  
" Couldn't get away from who, Jo?" Guillaume whispered as he stroked her hair in an attempt to calm her down.  
" Obsequious…" Jo whispered as loudly as she dared, before shivering as a cold wind blew amongst them all in the darkness.

" It was just a nightmare, right?" Jo said, trying to sound confident and not in the least bit bothered by the previous nights events. She failed.  
The friends were eating their breakfast and even though no one had mentioned what had happened, everyone was thinking about it. Questions hanging in the air, just waiting to be dealt with.  
" Right," Rosie smiled weakly, failing just as miserably to sound sure in her response.  
" You're just tired," Lucy continued, " We all are…it's to be expected…"  
" Yeah, you're right…you're probably right…" Jo murmured before taking a mouthful of water from one of their water bottles.  
" Well, look at it this way, nothing too bad happened…no one was hurt or anything…" Bertrande reasoned. " So we were woken up, there are worse things that could happen…"  
" I know," Jo smiled at her. " I know…"  
The friends packed up their belongings once more and set off into the swamps.  
They were travelling quite quickly and as the morning passed, their spirits lifted. Largely thanks to Amos and Simon.  
Amos had been walking in front of Simon and the former Apostle had found a large branch floating in the water. So he had grabbed hold of it and, under the water, had pushed it forwards until it had touched Amos' legs. Causing the American to fly into the air with a shriek, drawing swords and gasps all round.  
" That _wasn't_ funny Simon," Jo had tried to scold, but the sight of Glyndwr nearly doubled over with laughter was too much for her to be able to be serious.  
They carried on, stopping every so often when Simon decided to try this new trick on various members of the group. Each time he did, it resulted in yells of laughter and fear and at least one person ending up with a red face in embarrassment.  
The most recent victim had been Marius, who had screamed so loudly, Billabong had leapt into a tree with surprise.  
" Ok, stop it now…this is getting boring…" Marius argued as Simon propped himself up on a nearby tree to stop himself falling into the water such was his amusement.  
" Ok…ok…I won't do it any more…"  
There was a loud cry from Martin.  
" Simon!" The Artigatian shouted angrily as he tried to regain his composure.  
" What?" Simon replied innocently.  
" Oh don't try that act with me…" Martin's brown eyes narrowed. " Enough is enough…"  
" But I didn't do anything…!" Simon pleaded earnestly. " You're too far away anyway for me to reach with this, even if I'd tried…"  
The friends glanced from the branch in Simon's hands to Martin, the branch wouldn't have reached halfway to where he was standing.  
Silence fell upon the group.  
" Well, if…if you didn't just brush that thing against my leg…then who…?" Martin murmured as his eyes widened.  
Suddenly there was a loud bubbling sound and the water directly in front of them frothed as something shot to the surface. It was black and completely unrecognisable at first.  
" What the hell _is_ that…?" Aradia murmured as they drew closer to it. " Wasn't…wasn't that one of our pans once…?" Jenny murmured, lifting up the twisted hunk of metal and peering through one of the large holes that had been ripped through it.  
" I _think_ so, but what happened to it?" Mark replied shakily.  
" Don't those look like…well, bite marks to you guys…" Glyndwr said through tightly clenched teeth.  
" Anyone else think we should get out of the water right about now?" Simon asked tightly, eyeing the brown waters with total mistrust.  
" I'm with Simon on this one," Bertrande agreed, tugging on Mark's hand and pulling him over towards some of the low hanging trees.  
" Good idea…" Jo replied. " Out of the water…we'll make our way through the trees until we find some dry land again…"  
The friends began to head over towards the trees but they hadn't gone far when they stopped dead in their tracks.  
The waters between the friends and the trees rippled slowly. Almost as if an invisible finger had traced along the surface.  
" I take it by the stunned and definitely edgy silence…I wasn't the only one to see that…" Mark murmured, every muscle in his body tense with a fear that was rising steadily.  
" Ok, now I think would be a good time to get the swords out…" Jo swallowed nervously as the ripples passed over the surface of the water and broke against them.  
Billabong, from his position in a tree above them, began to growl menacingly.  
" Yep, definitely time to get the swords out!" Jo repeated, drawing her weapon and holding it tightly in both hands as the waters around them rippled once again.  
" What do you think it is…?" Jenny whispered, holding a dagger in one hand and her sword in the other.  
" I'm not sure." Jo's eyes didn't leave the murky, gently moving waters in front of her. " But whatever it is, I don't think I'm going to like it very much!"  
Lucy gasped loudly.  
" Lucy! Are you alright?" Martin grabbed at her hand, looking at her pale face and wide eyes.  
" S-something just brushed past my leg…" She whispered shakily.  
" Everybody out of the water," Jo said firmly, pushing the nearest person to her towards the nearest tree.  
" But Jo…" Bertrande tried to hold back but the seriousness in Jo's eyes stopped her voice and made her legs move.  
" Get into the trees and stay there until we know what this thing is…"  
" What about you…?" Lucy asked bluntly, pulling herself out of the water and joining Bertrande on a low branch.  
" I'll be out in a minute…" Jo's eyes narrowed as she took a step towards the source of the rippling waters.  
" Jo, come here right now," Guillaume ordered as he helped shove Rosie up amongst the branches and began to climb out himself.  
" I'm coming," Jo responded, " I just want to make sure we're not scrambling away from something that's not more dangerous than a frog…!" Jo reached into her pack and pulled out an apple. It was dented and obviously old, they weren't likely to eat it any time soon, and she threw it as hard as she could into the water.  
There was a splash and a swirl of water, revealing a flash of scales and large teeth for an instant.  
" Somehow, I don't think that's a frog…" Aradia murmured from her position up in the tree.  
" Neither do I…" Jo whispered, in a voice much less confident than it had been before.  
She started to back away towards the others but froze as the waters seemed to part to reveal the top of a large flat head, with two yellow eyes gleaming dangerously at her.  
" Jo…just reach up and take my hand…" Guillaume lent down towards her, reaching out as far as he could to try and grab a hold of her to pull her out of harms way.  
Jo glanced back at him for the briefest moment before returning her gaze to the creature before her and started to lift up her arm towards his extended hand.  
The sound of rapidly moving water filled the air.  
" Oh sh-!" Jo started to yell as the creature launched itself out of the water, jaws wide and aiming straight for her head. Jo dove under the surface of the water, the creature skimmed the surface and sank under the water a few feet from where she had stood.  
" Jo…?" Guillaume yelled, scanning the surface of the water for any sign of life.  
Beneath the surface, the weight of Jo's pack was proving more of a problem than she had anticipated. She was sinking, and with her cloak wrapped around the pack to keep it dry, she couldn't shrug it off.  
Her struggling stopped for a moment as the creature swam past her. It's long, scaly body snaking through the water, huge white teeth shining even in the murky light below the surface of the swamp. As soon as she was sure it was swimming away from her, she began her struggles again, trying in desperation to pull the cloak and pack from her back.  
" What the hell was that thing?" Aradia demanded, shivering from shock and cold.  
" Looked like an Alligator to me, and a big one at that…" Amos murmured.  
" What about Jo?" Rosie demanded as the Alligator suddenly rose to the surface beneath them, snapping it's huge, and obviously lethal, jaws at them.  
" We can't just leave her down there…" Guillaume yelled, at everyone and no one in particular.  
There was a sudden splash below and the friends looked around to see a horrified Aradia staring down into the water.  
" Glyndwr!" She yelled as the bubbles and waves settled down and the waters below became still.  
Jo was finding it harder and harder to try and pull herself up and away from the bottom of the swamp. She knew she wouldn't last a lot longer without air and with her pack dragging her further and further down, she was getting further and further away from safety. Then, things got worse. She felt her cloak snag on something. Twisting around she could see her cloak was now caught around a submerged branch. She was trapped, and the more she struggled the more entangled she was getting. This did not look good. Not good at all.  
A flash in the corner of her eyes, made her instinctively grab at her dagger and spin to attack this possible danger but a hand stopped her blow. It was Glyndwr, and the flash she had seen had been the light reflecting off of his sword. Jo indicated as best she could the problem with her cloak and Glyndwr set about trying to cut her free. He worked for a moment or two before pushing away and heading back to the surface. Jo felt the urge to swear rise very quickly inside her but knew that she had little breath left and he wouldn't hear her anyway.  
" Glyndwr!" Aradia yelled as the meander broke the surface.  
" Have you found her? Is she ok?" Guillaume asked, his eyes wide.  
" She's tangled up in some dead wood, I just need to cut her free…" He took a large gulp of air before diving back down into the water.  
Jo's vision was blurring and she could feel coldness seeping through her body gradually making her feel more and more sleepy. This wasn't the way it was supposed to end. Surely there was a way out of this. She couldn't die without saying goodbye. Not without seeing Guillaume's face again, not without holding him and telling him she loved him. As his face filled her memory and the urge to sleep began to drown her, she felt a mouth against hers.  
Her eyes shot open and she gasped to see Glyndwr's face pressed against hers. She opened her mouth and felt air being passed to her from his mouth. He pulled away and smiled, his eyebrows raised in enquiry. Jo smiled back and raised a thumb to let him know she was ok. With that, he swam back behind her and began to work on her pack once again.  
Jo was just starting to feel a lot more calm about the situation when something caught her eye and made her heart stop beating for a moment or two. In the distance, getting gradually closer through the murky water, were two eyes. Two yellow eyes and a large mouth full of teeth.  
Jo reached back to tap Glyndwr on the head. She knew he'd seen it, she could tell by the increased pulling at the straps around her back and shoulders, the sense of urgency in his movements. The Alligator continued to swim closer. And closer. The mottled light filtering through the algae, moss and mud in the water showing how effective it's scaly camouflage was. Occasionally Jo wasn't even sure she'd seen it at all. It's short legs paddling slowly at it's sides and it's long tail moving back and forth, pushing it ever onwards through the water.  
Suddenly Jo felt Glyndwr pulling at her, hooking his hands under her arms. She was free. They kicked off from the dead wood that had held her fast and kicked hard to try and reach the surface. Jo glanced back through the bubbling water to see the Alligator fast on their tail.  
They broke the surface and, gasping deeply at the air, they began to swim towards the trees and safety. Behind them, the almighty splash of the Alligator reaching the surface filled the air and all Glyndwr and Jo could do was focus on the trees before them and swim as fast as they could. Above them their friends and loved ones were screaming at them to swim faster, to climb out of the way.  
Glyndwr reached the tree first and scrambled up the trunk onto a low hanging branch, immediately throwing down his arms to pull Jo up. Jo was beneath him, trying desperately to push herself up and out of the water enough to grab his hands. Then the next thing she knew she was being pushed up into the air. She looked down to see the Alligator below her feet, it had dived beneath her and its jaws were now open wide. Jo's arms swung out to grab hold of something and found a branch. She held onto it for dear life as the Alligator fell back down to the water with a splash.  
" You alright?" Guillaume called across to her.  
" I'm…" Jo started but was cut off as the water below her exploded and the alligator pushed itself up and out of the water, it's teeth inches from her. " I don't think so sunshine!" She kicked hard, catching the Alligator square in the nose and it sank back beneath the waters. The swamp was still once again, the only sound that of the nervous sighs of relief from the friends in the trees.  
" Everyone alright…" Jo asked once a moment or two had passed.  
There were various mumbles and sighs of assent.  
" Good…" Jo groaned, trying to heave herself up to sit on the branch that she had been hanging from.  
" You…?" Glyndwr asked almost conversationally once she was sat in the tree.  
" I am now," She smiled. " Thank you…"  
" No problem," The meander grinned back. " I'm just glad we never let you carry any crystals…if you'd have had one of those in your pack, there's no way I'd have gotten you out of there!"  
" See, I told you it would more trouble than it would be worth to let me carry one!" Jo smirked. Guillaume climbed down to join Jo and wrapped her up in his cloak to dry her out a bit.  
" Are you sure you're alright?" He asked, concern evident in his voice and eyes.  
" I'm fine," Jo smiled, kissing his cheek quickly. " And very relieved to be able to still hold you and kiss you I can tell you!"  
Once the friends had recovered from their shock, they started to make their way through the trees. Climbing from limb to limb, sometimes making use of vines and creepers to either climb up, slide down and even sometimes, to their great amusement, swing on.  
The afternoon passed and the friends soon found the ground below looked a lot less wet than it had done. More rocks and mud plains than pools of stagnant water and marshes. So they came down from the trees and continued to walk on foot on the ground for the rest of the day. The terrain became a little more hilly and the friends were climbing a particularly steep hill as the last of the day was spent.  
As the sun began to set, the sky grew darker and as the friends began to look for somewhere to make camp, lightning suddenly flashed on the horizon followed by thunder booming ominously in the distance.

" Do you suppose that's where…you know…where we're heading…?" Mark asked quietly once they had decided to pitch their tents on a partially sheltered ridge, gesturing in the direction of the storm in the distance.  
Jo looked up and cast a particularly unimpressed glance at the purple crackles on the horizon.  
" I think we can safely say that's _exactly_ where we're heading," Jo groaned, helping Lucy pull one of the tents from it's carrying bag. " But does he really have to be so obvious?" Jo smirked. " All that's missing from that view is a neon sign saying '_Bates Motel, Vacancies_'!"  
A laugh came from those of the group who knew what 'Psycho' was, and looks of slight bemusement from everyone else. Jo grinned.  
" Or he could try something more subtle like, '_Megalomaniac's Castle This Way, Abandon Faith All Ye Who Pass This Way!_'" This drew laughs from the rest of the group and while the lightning and thunder continued to rumble and flash away in the distance, the friends were remarkably light hearted as they pitched their tents and began to set up the rest of their camp.  
Stretched out before them was a relatively flat area of ground, with what looked like a small settlement in the distance. It could be only one place. It was Obsequious' castle and domain. It was a little unnerving to think that the enemy of the countries they were trying to defend and the enemy of their own was suddenly so close by. It would only be a matter of days now until they reached him. Until the next stage, the most dangerous stage so far, of their quest would begin.  
There wasn't much talk that night, they ate and settled down to sleep quite quickly. Then, as had happened the night before, they were awoken by the cries of Jo. Nightmares plagued her sleep more frequently that night and, therefore, the sleep of everyone else.  
They set out the next day, down the slope of the hill they had camped on and down towards the plains. They journeyed for a further four days, the last day seemed to be largely down hill and into more trees and scrubby plant life. Every night Jo was kept awake by nightmares, and every morning she looked slightly more pale and bright eyed. Towards the end of this fourth day, after leaving behind the swamps, they reached the foot of some steps. Winding up amongst dead trees and bushes.

Jo and the others climbed steadily and when they reached the top they found themselves transfixed by what lay before them.  
They were stood on a slight bank, leading down to a river. On the other side of which, only reachable by a wooden bridge, heavily guarded, was a huge black castle. Pointed and twisted, it reached high into the sky, flaming torches dotted around it's exterior making the black walls almost seem like they were ablaze.  
The ground between the river and the castle looked like a battlefield. Row upon row of tents littered the ground, horses were tethered in large groups and wandering around amongst all of this were thousands of soldiers. Dressed in black, just like everything else.  
They had reached Obsequious' castle at last. They were in the land of evil and there was now no turning back.


	51. PART 87

No one spoke. No one really wanted to.  
The view before them was one they had imagined facing for weeks now. Their journey was almost at an end, or so it felt. They knew they were miles away from Vaniria, where their quest had started, and worlds away from where their own journeys had begun but they all felt a sense of almost near completion. They had found all of the crystals marked on the map that existed outside of the Swamplands, and now the final piece lay in a castle that lay beyond the river in front of them. They could see it. See the torches flickering on the parapets and walls. See black flags flapping lazily in the breeze. They could also see before them a sea of soldiers, thousands of dark warriors milling amongst hundreds of tents which lay between them and this final crystal.  
The Black Castle seemed to have been built on the only sturdy rock for miles. Towering into the sky above them, it was perched on top of a small hill, which looked as if it was made of a pile of huge stones; now shrouded in pale mist. Black roofs topped the towers and even though the stone used to build it was at one point probably the same warm sandy colour of the stone used in Vaniria and Aesina, it now seemed cold and faded. As if it's warmth had been drained into the swamp and marsh surrounding it.  
" So…" mumbled Simon, more out of a need to break the silence than actually say anything.  
" So." Repeated Amos, dully and without moving his wide eyes from the sight before them.  
" What now?" Lucy asked, her eyes running across the scene once more.  
" Well first of all, I think we need to set up our tents, get some fires started and then…" Jo shrugged her pack from her shoulders and let it drop to the ground before looking back at the others, turning her back on the castle for the first time since they had arrived. "…Then we'll have a chat and think about just how we're going to do this!"  
So they had torn their eyes away from the castle and it's surrounding hoards, and set up their small camp. Pitching their tents and gathering together wood for a large campfire.  
" Are you sure we should have this? I mean, won't it draw attention to us?" Jenny had asked as Jo had magically started the flames.  
" If it takes a fire to draw attention to us being here then Obsequious and his army are going to be more of a push-over than we had anticipated!" Jo smirked, throwing another large branch onto the fire, filling the gradually darkening sky with bright orange and red sparks. The only colour they could see around them, apart from the occasional flash of colour from their brightly lined cloaks. " Besides," Jo went on, " If they were going to attack us tonight, they would have done it already."  
" So, what are they waiting for?" Rosie frowned with mistrust at the shadows moving on the other side of the river.  
" They'll wait ultimately for word from Obsequious," Lina said, momentarily stopping what she was doing. Carving new arrow shafts from twigs lying around on the ground. " And _he'll_ probably wait a little while yet…I'd say at least a few days more at least."  
" Why's he going to wait though?" Bertrande frowned.  
" He thinks we have little or no food and water left so he'll wait until he thinks we have nothing…chances are, if that was the case, we wouldn't be able to fight back as much…" Aradia mused. "At least that's what I'd do…if I was going to be invaded by someone…" She grinned at the slightly worried faces around her.  
"Remind me never to invade your castle," Glyndwr smirked before receiving a sharp nudge in the ribs for his comment.  
" Nevertheless, we still need to think about what we're going to do when Obsequious and his thousands of men _do_ decide to come marching over that bridge to come and see us!" pressed Mark.  
" Can't we just wait and see what happens…?" Amos suggested hopefully.  
" Not really, Aradia does have a valid point." Jo groaned, stretching slightly and shuffling around on the ground to get her self in a comfortable position. " We don't have a lot of food left…and we really need to think about maybe finding some back up…"  
" Back up?" Marius enquired, throwing another branch onto the crackling flames.  
" Well, I don't know about you, but I don't fancy trying to defeat that lot over there with just us!" Jo said flatly. " I mean, maybe we should think about sending word to try and get some people to help us…before Obsequious decides to actually _do_ something!"  
" Sounds good, Jo, but _who_ in their right mind is going to come to our aid…?" Simon said as tactfully as he could.  
" My people will," Glyndwr's voice was calm and steady.  
" Meanders…" Martin thought aloud. "But aren't they all the way back in the Blue Woods…? Surely that's too far away to get a message to in time…"  
" Not all of them are, I told them to return to their homes…which are all over Aesina, some very close to the border of the Swamplands…" Glyndwr's green eyes sparkled. " All we need do is use the river to send a message to them."  
" Are you talking about sending a message in a bottle…?" Rosie's eyebrows rose high in disbelief.  
" A bottle would work…" Glyndwr shrugged.  
" But…a _bottle_?" Mark stammered. " It's not the most fail-safe method of communication is it?" Glancing at Jo for support. He didn't get any.  
" Well unless you happen to have some carrier pigeons up your trousers or a Royal Mail van hidden in your cloak…it's the best method we have…" Jo threw him a serious look.  
" I would send Billabong," Lina offered, " But he's just as shattered as we are…" She stroked the purring, and occasionally snoring, lump of muddy orange fur lying next to her. " He's been asleep since we got here…"  
" The river will work, trust me, my people have been using the rivers, streams and waterways for communication for hundreds of years…" Glyndwr assured them, before turning to Jo, " You just tell me what you want to tell them, give me a bottle…and I'll have it on it's way in moments…"  
" Well, as the ruler of Aesina, and because I think she needs the _diplomatic_ practice…I think Aradia should help you write the letter to the Meanders," Jo grinned, trying to ignore the angry and definitely injured look the Princess threw her, as she stood up and brushed off her trousers and pulled her purple lined cloak close around her..  
" Very well," Aradia eventually managed to say, " But where are you going now? Won't you want to check it…?"  
" I'll check it when I get back, and I'm going to get amongst other things, a bottle for this message. You won't get very far without one!" Jo laughed.  
" Tell me you're not thinking of going over there on your own just to get a bloody bottle?" Guillaume demanded, leaping up next to her and grabbing hold of her with one arm and gesturing over the river to camp of the enemy with the other.  
" No, I'm not," Jo assured, prising herself from his tight hold. " I'm going to go and find some food, water, general supplies and other goodies we can help ourselves to! But yes, I am going alone…"  
" No chance, sweetheart," Guillaume grinned as he made to grab her again but Jo ducked back out of the way. " How can you bring back all of those things by yourself…?"  
" I'm only going to _look_ for that stuff. All I'm bringing back on this trip is a bottle!" Jo soothed. " Besides, one person can sneak around better then two or three…"  
"But two can see more than one!" Argued Rosie. "Besides, I'm only little, I probably have even less chance of being seen than you!" She grinned at Jo. " Don't worry Guillaume, I'll look after her…"  
" We'll look after each other," Jo assured a worried looking Marius.  
With a definite pout, Guillaume hugged Jo as Marius held Rosie close to him for a moment.  
" Just be careful," Guillaume insisted as Jo and Rosie headed towards the river.  
" I'm always careful," Jo winked with a laugh. Rosie and Jo gave their friends one final wave before sliding down the river bank and vanishing into the darkness.

" Just in case we _do_ get killed in the immediate future, I would just like to say for the record, this is _definitely_ one of your most _stupid_ ideas!" hissed Rosie.  
" That's kind of you to say so," Jo whispered back with a grin that Rosie could almost hear. " But can I suggest we keep the compliments and 'chit chat' for later, like when we're not up to our necks in freezing water and just a few feet away from almost certain death…" Jo thought before adding. " And besides which, if you _do_ get killed in the immediate future, it ain't going to be _my_ fault. I didn't make you follow me…did I?"  
Rosie, with some great difficulty, managed to bite back on a retort and settled for glaring at her friend in the darkness, deciding to save her comments for the return trip. _If_ there was one.  
The two of them had been waiting in the waters for nearly an hour, stood in the shallows at the far side of the river and directly above them, at the top of the riverbank, was a large tent. Judging from the smells wafting down to them, and the large numbers of soldiers flocking to and from it, it seemed to be some kind of canteen or food store. If the two friends were going to find a bottle, and a possible source of food and water for the rest of their group of adventurers, it was probably going to be inside.  
" So, just how much longer are we going to have to wait here…?" Rosie stammered slightly, the water was cold and she was starting to lose the feeling in her feet.  
" Until the opportune moment…" Jo said darkly.  
" Oh classic…" Rosie rolled her eyes, almost certain Jo had taken that line from some film or other. " You know I think you might just be the worst leader I've ever heard of…"  
" Ah, but you _have_ heard of me…" Jo smirked back. Rosie held back a small giggle. Apart from the threat of imminent death, the freezing cold water and the fact they were worlds away from the lives they had once led, the pair of them swapping favourite quotes from books and films was almost like old times. " Just like old times…" She muttered to herself.  
" What is…?" Jo asked, confused slightly.  
" You talking rubbish!" Rosie grinned.  
" Well no time for idle chit chat," Jo started to haul herself up and out of the water and onto the riverbank, reaching back to help her friend follow her. " I think the opportune moment has arrived…"  
Jo motioned up the bank and Rosie's eyes widened as she saw a fresh wave of soldiers pile into the tent.  
" You _are_ joking…?" Rosie exclaimed, pausing dead in her tracks and forcing Jo to practically push her up to top of the riverbank.  
" No, if I was joking I would have said something like 'What's brown and sticky…?'"  
" I dread to think…" Rosie sighed, closing her eyes.  
" A stick!" Jo replied, eyes sparkling madly and with a smile so wide that it threatened to split her face in two.  
" You're a nightmare…" Rosie shook her head at the sheer stupidity of the joke, and in determination not even allow a grin to creep onto her face at it.  
" I know," Jo beamed before looking through a tiny hole in the tent's wall to see inside. "…Perfect…" She muttered.  
" What's perfect about it…? I thought we were waiting 'til it was empty to go in, not wait 'til it was full and just hope we blended in with the crowd!" Rosie whispered harshly.  
" What fun would an empty tent be…?" Jo asked as innocently as she could, but the twinkle in her eyes gave her intentions away.  
" What are you going to do…?" Rosie swallowed nervously.  
" Just be quiet, trust me…and let me concentrate…" With that Jo sat back on her heels and closed her eyes. Leaving Rosie to roll her own eyes before looking through the hole to see what happened inside the tent.  
The guards were sat at large wooden table and benches, mostly stuffing their faces with meat and bread and guzzling at large tankards filled with what smelt like wine. There was a hum of noise as they chatted amongst themselves but a hum that became noticeably quieter as the door flap began to move back and forth in a breeze that they were all certain hadn't been there before.  
Then a cool wind whistled through the tent, causing several of the guards to exchange worried looks. A bottle of wine fell from the corner of one of the tables and smashed, the sudden noise making the guards sat nearest to it to leap to their feet.  
" What's goin' on…?" Demanded a particularly large soldier, who looked slightly less than impress that his break was being interrupted in such a manner.  
" I dunno," came the vague response from those stood around him.  
Then the candles and lamps started to flicker and the sound of laughing began to filter in through the air.  
" What…what if it's a ghost…?" a smaller guard with wide eyes asked, his sword clinking as he held it with a trembling hand.  
" Then you should know that they can't 'arm you, shouldn't you!" The huge guard practically yelled at him. " So pull yourself togevva lad!"  
" What about the spirits of the swamps…evil spirits trapped there by…_Incubus_…" The small guard's voice got quieter and quieter, and he barely whispered the name of Obsequious' father, wincing as the word left his lips.  
" Nothin' but kiddies stories!" Laughed the large guard but was cut off as all the lamps and candles were blown out and the laughter echoed loudly around them. Several of the guards could have sworn they felt cold fingers tickling their necks and pulling at their clothes. But none of them wanted to stay around to find out what it was. With a lot of noise, they all fled from inside the tent with, Jo and Rosie noticed, the large guard in the lead, running as face as his stocky frame would allow him.  
The lights flickered back on inside the tent and Rosie suddenly realised the laughter still echoing faintly around the tent matched that of the friend crouched by her side.  
" Come on you!" Rosie hissed, pulling her to her feet. " Let's see what kind of mess you've made now…"  
They slipped around the front of the tent and in through the door flap. Several of the tables had been turned over in the panic and food and pools of wine and water littered the floor.  
" Like you were saying before…Just like the old times eh?" Jo grinned broadly, eyes glinting almost as brightly as the sword in her hands. " You and me causing trouble!"  
" Oh yeah," Rosie replied stonily, but nothing she did could hide the mischievous sparkle in her own eyes. " But don't you mean…you causing trouble and me having to save you from your own _stupidity_, as per bloody usual!"  
" Don't worry…" Jo groaned in response, as she swung the sword and sliced through one of the ropes holding up the door flap to the tent, momentarily blocking them from the outside. " I'm sure I'll be able to return the favour in the not too distant future!" She finished with wink, as she dashed over to one of the tables that had managed to remain upright and picked up a bottle of wine. She quickly cast her eye over the label with a thoughtful expression on her face. " Could be interesting…" She pulled out the cork and took a large mouthful. " It's alright but…I think a vintage we can afford to leave behind…" Jo held out the bottle towards Rosie. " What do you think?"  
" I think you're _mad_!" Rosie exclaimed, while taking the bottle and taking a taste of the wine herself. " But I agree," Her nose wrinkled in mild disgust as she swallowed the liquid. " Not one for the road." She casually slung the bottle over her shoulder, barely registering the tinkle as it hit the floor and smashed. " And now, if the wine tasting is over, just how are we going to get out of here…?"  
" Well, I don't know about you but I was planning on walking out of the doorway…" Jo said slowly and in the tones of one explaining something particularly complicated to a small child, with an even smaller intelligence.  
" Well I _was_ planning that too, until you decided to announce the presence of something weird being in this tent to a few thousand soldiers camped outside!" Rosie flicked her long hair over her shoulder. " A fact that I think might hinder our escape rather than help it, don't you think?"  
" Pessimist!" Jo grinned, sticking her tongue out before heading towards the rear of the tent, sheathing her sword and, instead, pulling out a small dagger and starting to cut through the strings holding together the corner of the tent.  
Rosie followed her, slightly bemused and decidedly nervous. Her large brown eyes flicked from the blade in Jo's hands, to the door flap of the tent, which was worryingly still. She watched as Jo cut through the strings and started to unthread them, pulling them out as far as she could, which was up the sides to about a foot or so over her head. Then she wandered over to the opposite corner and started to do the same thing.  
" Er…Wouldn't it be quicker to just cut a big hole in the canvas…?" Rosie jabbed her finger into the material to prove her point.  
" Maybe," Jo agreed around the dagger that she was now holding in her teeth as she yanked at the strings before dropping them onto the floor.  
What Jo had now done was to untie two corners of the tent, so that the back wall was no longer connected at the sides to the rest of the tent.  
Rosie pushed at the material and made to climb out but was hauled back by Jo.  
" What _are_ you doing? Are you mad?" Jo exclaimed, still holding her friend's upper arm firmly.  
" Am _I_ mad? The phrase 'pot and kettle' comes to mind here!" Rosie shook her arm free. " I _was_ trying to get out of here…that is why you did this wasn't it?"  
" You go out that way and you're going to end up head first in the river and probably break at least _one_ of your limbs in the process," Jo explained, as she started to look around the tent for something.  
" So what did you do it for then?"  
" You'll see…" Jo murmured, as she dragged something out from under a table, it was an empty pack.  
" You know…I _hate_ it when you say things like that…" Rosie muttered under her breath.  
" I know, why else do you think I say them!" Jo laughed as she started to grab some of the bottles of wine that had survived and put them into the pack. " Now, why not do something useful and see if you can find some bread…or even some meat…whatever you can find…"  
With a heavy sigh Rosie started to do as she was asked, even though every other moment was spent eyeing up the door flap expecting a hoard of Obsequious' soldiers to come piling through it. Soon they had crammed the pack full of bottles of wine, bread, cured meat and even something that smelt like a kind of dessert.  
" And now what do we do…?" Rosie wiped her now slightly greasy hands on the backs of her trousers after placing a particularly large joint of ham into some cloth and then putting it on top of everything else in the pack.  
" We go back to the others," Jo groaned a little as she forced the straps over the bulging bag and fastened them. " But we're not going to rush, this weighs a tonne!"  
" Oh that's just _great_" came Rosie's response, her tone showing it was anything but. " _Marvellous!_ Let's slow down our escape even more…tell you what, why don't we just give ourselves up, save ourselves the bother of _trying_ to get away from this nightmare!"  
" How high can you jump?" asked Jo suddenly.  
" What?" Rosie's eyes widened.  
" You know, how high?" Jo indicated various different heights with her arm in the air. " How high can you jump…?"  
" Can't say it's something I've ever measured…" Rosie shot back. " And why do I get worried to ask why you would want to know this…?"  
" What if you had a run up…?" Jo continued, seemingly oblivious to her friend's concerns.  
" A run up to what…?" Rosie demanded slowly.  
" A run up before you jumped," Jo said plainly with a slight grin.  
" That's not what I meant, and you know it Jo!"  
Jo didn't reply, she simply shrugged the pack off of her shoulders and started hunting around for something else.  
" Alright then, if you won't jump, then we'll just have to find something…a-ha!" Jo grinned triumphantly, holding up a length of rope. " This looks perfect…" Jo began to tie one end of the rope around the straps of the pack and then tied to other end around a full bottle of wine before she took a few steps back, looking up at the roof of the tent with the rope in her hands.  
" What now…?" Rosie asked, wandering over to the door to peek outside, before leaping back with a not completely concealed gasp. " And no need to panic, but I think they know we're in here…" Rosie was by Jo's side in a matter of moments. " There's a huge group of them coming this way, so whatever you're about to do…just….do it…"  
Jo needed no further encouragement. She swung the rope around in a wide circle a few times before letting go and the pair of them watched as the momentum and the weight of the bottle carried the rope up into the air and over one of the supporting poles at the top of the tent. The wine bottle brought the rope back down towards them and Jo quickly untied it and started to pull, hoisting the pack of food into the air. After a moment or two of groaning she threw Rosie a pointed look.  
" Are you going to help me or what…?"  
" Oh yeah…sorry…" Rosie quickly joined her friend in hauling the pack higher and higher into the air. Once it was dangling at the very top, Jo took the rope and, pulling it taut, tied it to one of the heavy oaken tables.  
" Please tell me your wonderful plan isn't to drop that on their heads…" Rosie asked bluntly. "Because if it is, we're going to need a hell of a lot more of them for the amount of soldiers heading our way…!"  
" Kind of…" Jo admitted just as the door flap was flung open to reveal a large group of fifty or so soldiers. All with swords, clubs and axes drawn and none of them looking particularly friendly.  
" Now what do we do…?" Rosie squeaked as the soldiers began to crowd into the entrance, inching towards them, preparing to charge.  
" Hold this…" Jo tried to take hold of Rosie's hands and put them onto the rope.  
" Why…what for…?" Rosie mumbled, not taking her eyes from the black armoured warriors before them.  
" Just hold on…" Jo insisted as she handed Rosie the rope, who grabbed hold of it without really realising what she was doing, until it was too late. Which was around the time she spotted Jo drawing her sword and aiming it at the end of the rope tied to the table.  
" Oh no…" Rosie yelped. " Jo no! Don't! This is a bad, bad, bad, bad, _bad_ idea….!"  
But Jo didn't listen, she swung the sword and sliced through the rope and the two of them were yanked into air as gravity worked and pulled the heavy pack on the other end of the rope back down to earth. Just as the soldiers charged and passed straight under them and, with no fixed wall to stop them anymore, were sent careering down the river bank and into the river with a loud splash.  
" See…" Jo grinned proudly as she and Rosie clung to the rope, now suspended just below the roof of the tent. A good fifteen feet from the ground.  
" Oh yes, well done you. Bloody _marvellous_!" Rosie retorted. " And now how do we get down, _genius_?"  
" Like this," Jo beamed before leaning back and making the pair of them start to swing.  
" Stop it, Jo! I mean it, stop it right _now_…" Rosie closed her eyes tightly.  
" Rosie, open your eyes or you're never going to get down…!" Jo exclaimed as she swung them a little harder.  
" Alright," Rosie opened her eyes, pouting profusely. " But if I die, I'm going to haunt you until the end of time!"  
" Fair enough," Jo couldn't help but laugh at the certainty in her friend's voice.  
With that Jo swung them even harder and then let go of the rope. She flew through the air for a couple of feet before hitting the central pole, holding up the whole tent. She grabbed it and slid down. When she reached the floor she let out a little groan, as she rubbed the front of her neck. " Ok, that hurt a bit…but I'm not dead am I?" Jo danced around a bit to emphasise her point while her friend dangled above her looking anything but convinced. " So, what are you waiting for…?"  
Rosie rolled her eyes before copying her friend, jumping clear from the rope once she was closest to the central pole and then sliding down, with considerable more grace than Jo had done.  
Jo quickly untied the pack from the rope and hoisted it up onto her back.  
" _Now_ can we go…?" Rosie asked, hovering near to the door flap. The sound of wet, unimpressed soldiers trying to scramble up the riverbank was getting louder all the time.  
" After you…" Jo bowed slightly as Rosie rushed through the door flap, followed by a broadly grinning Jo.  
Jo practically _skipped_ across the bridge over the river, back to their little camp and eagerly waiting friends, some way behind Rosie who had sprinted as if the very fires of hell had been on her heels all the way from the tent. In fact the only thing that stopped her running straight through the group of friends waiting for them and running straight back into the Swamp was Marius grabbing hold of her and hugging her tightly as soon as she was in range of his arms.  
Jo was treated to something similar from Guillaume who looked as though he couldn't work out whether to frown or smile at her for a moment or two, almost like a parent torn between relief and anger when a run away child is returned to them. He settled on a tight embrace and a kiss.  
" Must you keep doing this…?" Guillaume asked, sounding thoroughly bewildered.  
" Doing what…?" Jo asked, handing over the heavy pack to the others and smiled as the gasps of delight and groans of hunger filled the air as the food and wine was unpacked. " Getting food…?"  
" You know exactly what I'm talking about Jo, running off at every possible opportunity to put yourself directly in harm's way when there's simply no need," Guillaume grinned slightly, pulling her back into his arms and holding her tightly as if to prevent her running away. " I waited a long time to find you…and I do not intend to lose you any time soon…"  
" Well, you've no worries there," Jo laughed, lifting herself up onto her tiptoes to kiss his mouth quickly. " Because I have absolutely no intention of getting lost! Now come on…lets get this wine opened, I don't know about you lot, but I'm starving!"  
The friends were soon sat around the fire, drinking wine and enjoying the first proper food they had had since Vivons. The ham was succulent and the wine, while not being the best any of them had ever tasted, soon had most of them feeling sleepy, light headed and relaxed.  
A little while later Aradia and Glyndwr wrote a short message on a scrap of parchment and placed it inside one of the many now empty bottle that lay around them and then, after sealing it with a little wax from one of the candles Jo had also shoved into the pack along with the food and wine, they wandered down to the riverbank and sent it on it's way. They stood, arms around each other, watching as the bobbing bottle's glass glinted and shone in the torches lining the bank as it travelled away. Soon enough it had passed into the darkness and all they could do was wait. Wait and see if it reached the Meanders and, more importantly, if it reached them in time for them to be able to come and help them. Then Aradia and Glyndwr rejoined the others at the fire and the group sat fairly happily drinking and just talking amongst themselves.  
Jo was sat beside Guillaume looking up into the sky, clouded over for the most part. Then, a patch cleared and the navy sky was visible and right in the middle was something that brought a smile to her lips but an ache to her heart. L'Étoiles. They were still there watching over them but the stars themselves reminded her of one who was no longer sat with them but, she hoped, watching over them somewhere.  
Phillipe.  
Slowly she raised the bottle of wine she had been drinking to the heavens and bowed her head slightly.  
" To you my friend…" She whispered as she sipped the wine before finding it harder to swallow than she'd thought it would be, a lump having risen in her throat as she turned her eyes back to the stars glittering bravely above. " …God I wish you were here…"  
" Who you talking to?" Guillaume asked gently, concern evident in his eyes as he slipped his arm around her back to pull her closer to him.  
" Just Phillipe," Jo said quietly, smiling at him but the sparkle of tears in her eyes she couldn't hide.  
" I know sweetheart," Guillaume sighed, kissing her forehead as she snuggled into his shoulder. " I miss him too…"  
Gradually the clouds seemed to disappear from the sky and the friends began to drift off to sleep around the fire under a blanket of stars with L'Étoiles keeping watch over them, as they had done ever since they had left Vaniria.  
The next morning there was blue sky, for the first time since they had entered the Swamps the sky above them was completely cloud free.  
The friends, all with slight headaches from the wine the night before, were able to survey the far side of the river properly without mist and fog obscuring their view.  
There were clearly defined roads leading among the vast camp of soldiers surrounding the castle, all of which seemed to converge just before a kind of moat and drawbridge before going inside the castle itself.  
" So, just how many soldiers do you think there are over there…?" Simon mused, using some of Lina's balm to spike his hair carefully.  
" Wouldn't like to say to be honest," Martin replied. " I mean, there are obviously all the ones we can see marching around and stuff, but then God knows how many are actually inside the castle walls and all these tents…plus any secret tunnels or dungeons and goodness what else Obsequious has got himself in there…!"  
The day passed with the friends taking the chance to clean their weapons and wash their clothes, with a couple of them posted to watch the far riverbank and the bridge at all times. Just in case Aradia's theory was wrong and Obsequious was going to send over a little welcoming party to meet them before the Meanders could arrive to help them.  
As they were sitting down to eat that evening they noticed something strange on the horizon beyond the castle. A large bank of angry looking cloud seemed to be rolling steadily towards them.

" Am I only one with that music, 'Terracotta and Fudge' going round in my head…?" Jenny said nervously.  
There was a brief pause before Jo worked out what she was trying to say.  
" You mean, 'Tocatta and Fugue'…the one by Bach?"  
" I think so," Jenny frowned slightly.  
" Well then no, you're not," Jo grinned, somehow managing not to laugh at her friend's mistake.  
" Definitely the music to accompany impending doom if ever I hear it…" Rosie agreed as they watched the dark clouds continue to roll ominously across the sky above them, blotting out the light and bringing a distinct chill to the air.  
" Do you think '_he_' heard about your little incident last night…?" Mark wondered aloud. " I mean, if I was an evil overlord, or trying to be at any rate, I wouldn't be very happy to hear that some of my enemies had not only been in my camp and not been captured but had also managed to trash the joint and made my soldiers look like idiots…"  
" That last bit wasn't too hard to do though," Rosie giggled, " Anyone could have done that!"  
" I don't doubt that for a moment," laughed Mark in agreement, " But you've got to agree that he's not going to be very impressed with you or Jo…"  
" I don't think any of us are on his 'People to have dinner with' list, do you?" Jo glanced back from the malevolent looking sky at the others.  
" More like his 'People to maim and hopefully kill' list!" Amos exclaimed.  
A low rumble in the distance and a sharp breeze blowing through them all brought silence over the group.  
" Yep, something tells me we may have ticked him off a bit…" Jo muttered as a bright white fork of lightning arched over the castle before them and the following clap of thunder made all of them jump. It also sent Billabong running into one of the tents, his tail between his legs and as fast as his legs would carry him.  
There was no rain, this was no ordinary thunderstorm, not that any of the friends stood together on the riverbank thought it was. This was Obsequious' doing. The now pitch black sky was ripped apart constantly by lightning, and lightning of colours that none of the friends had ever seen before, his castle silhouetted against the sky.

" He's just trying to frighten us," Jo said bluntly, barely wincing as a particularly large fork of green lightning exploded over her head.  
" Well, I'll give him his due, he's not doing too bad a job…" came the quiet response from a rather pale looking Bertrande, who jumped slightly as another red flash tore the sky above them apart.  
" Nothing but noise!" Jo shouted up at the sky as if it was Obsequious up there himself. " Is that the best you can do?" She demanded as the sky erupted with yellow and orange flashes and the air around them crackled with energy. " You'll have to do better than that if you expect us to run away!" Jo screamed into the air, a wind whipped around them all, sending their cloaks dancing around them madly.  
But nothing else happened. The lightning storm raged overhead all night, thunder crashing all around them and the sky continuously flashing with a rainbow of colours while the friends tried to get some sleep. If Obsequious was angry enough to put on this light show, then he was probably not going to wait around much longer before doing something with a little more direct force. And if that was the case, they were going to need all the rest they could get.


	52. PART 88

When the friends had put their faith in Glyndwr's 'message in a bottle' plan to find help from his fellow Meanders they had no idea how long they would have to wait for the help, if any was to come, to arrive.  
They didn't have to wait long at all.  
In fact, they had just started to eat their breakfast the morning after the spectacular lightning storm when a stranger wandered into their camp, with about fifty or so other men walked a few metres behind him. All looking a combination of slightly apprehensive and slightly curious.  
The groups of friends stood up and walked to meet them, Jo and Aradia at the front along with Glyndwr, Guillaume and the rest of the 'Strangers' stood behind them.  
" Good Morning," The stranger said politely with a distinct lack of any specific emotion either in his voice or face.  
" Morning," Jo replied, looking the stranger up and down for a moment. " Can we help you…?"  
It was then the stranger smiled. A broad, purely happy smile that lit up his entire face and made his eyes sparkle wildly.  
" I think you'll find it is _we_ who can help you…" He took a step towards Jo and took her hand. " Jerest's the name, helping maidens in distress is the game!" He winked before quickly kissing her hand. A kiss made even quicker by the slightly threatening look he received from Guillaume.  
" Jerest of the Eastern plains?" Glyndwr's voice rang with recognition.  
" The one and only, and you must be Glyndwr of the Northern lakes…" Jerest all but laughed, " I think you'll find we're cousins…on our mother's side," He added to the others with another boyish wink.  
The two Meanders laughed and embraced each other and began to talk to each other in their native language.  
" We got your note…" Jerest explained once Glyndwr and he had finished their brief but very exciting sounding conversation in Euskaran, although they had spoken a little too quickly for Jo or any of the others to pick up anything of importance. " Sent it on it's way again, but as we were the nearest we thought we'd better come and see what all the fuss was about…" He turned his gaze towards Jo and the others. " So these are our saviours are they…? The infamous 'Strangers' eh?"  
" I don't know about '_saviours_'," Jo couldn't help but smile back, " But we'll do our best…"  
He was as tall as Glyndwr and just as slim but his hair was the colour pale summer sunshine, lighter than Jenny's and Bertrande's, and looked as though it had never seen a comb in it's life. A thought that made Jo smile as she remembered having had the same thought about Mithras when they had first met. Mithras who was now close by and, she hoped, not too different than he had been when she had last seen him. Jerest's eyes were a light, twinkling blue with the same intelligent spark as they had all seen so many times in Glyndwr's and there was a smile on his lips that somehow looked as though it probably had never left them.  
" I'm sure that you will, it's a pleasure to meet you all…" He bowed slightly but gracefully and definitely in a manner over the top for a Swamp.  
" Pleased to meet you," Jo grinned. " I think you probably know who we all are…so I'll spare you the boredom of fourteen or so unnecessary introductions!"  
" I thank you," His head bowed slightly again, " And you're right, I do know _of_ you at least…but I hope to now be able to have the opportunity of _knowing_ you all at last."  
" Well you certainly got here fast," Mark laughed as he shook hands with the Meander.  
" When did you leave your homes…?" Lina asked. " You must have walked some distance to find us."  
" Well, we _did_ walk all night but I've walked further in the past," Jerest replied with no hint of pride, he was simply stating a fact. " Besides, it was only just up the river…but you'll know, you must have walked through some of our lands on your way here. We're to the south east of what _was_ Aesina…"  
" What still _is_ Aesina," Aradia said quietly but firmly.  
" Yes, of course your highness," Jerest apologised sincerely. " I apologise, I had not intended to offend you, it's just we've all grown with the evil of Obsequious hanging over us for so long…we had all but forgotten the goodness that still existed in some places…that has now returned to us at last."  
Aradia smiled warmly and kissed the Meander's cheek. Jo couldn't help but chuckle to herself, how much the Princess had grown on their journey. There had been a time, not so long ago, she would have snubbed the poor young man and not let him forget about it for quite some time.  
" Have you lived there all your life…? The Eastern plains I mean…" Lucy asked, offering their newest acquaintance some water.  
" Not yet…" came the half serious reply, accompanied by twinkling eyes and the smallest of smiles. " But I would like to!"  
And so the friends had found their first allies. The group of friends that had travelled through the Swamplands introduced themselves to the Meanders and chatted, swapping stories of their adventures so far and then they all sat down together to eat breakfast.  
Later that morning Jenny noticed Jo was sat against one of the dead trees near the edge of their camp, completely absorbed in thought.  
" Everything ok…?" Jenny asked as she walked up to her friend, trying not to sound overly concerned even though she was worried that Jo's nightmares and lack of sleep may be starting to catch up with her.  
" Yeah…" Jo groaned standing up and leaning back against the tree. " Was just thinking about Mithras," Jo smiled, nodding her head towards the black castle whilst running her fingers along the chain around her neck. " And that I have only three of his tiger's eye beads left…" She paused for a moment, looking around at the mass of new people in their camp, which was no longer little. The Meanders had brought with them their own tents and had pitched them around the ones Jo and the others had found in Aesina. " And thinking maybe it's time I gave another couple away."  
" To who though? You can't possibly give one to everyone that arrived today…" Jenny grinned.  
" I know," sighed Jo, " But I still think I should give one to Jerest, he is their leader after all and, I dunno, I just feel he should have one. A feeling I get…like I had when we met Glyndwr, something tells me he's going to be with us for longer than this journey takes…does that make any sense…?" Jo turned to her friend, her green eyes searching the blue ones before her for some kind of assurance.  
" No it doesn't, but this is _you_ we're talking about here…so yes, in a way, it makes perfect sense!" Jenny laughed as Jo's face broke into a happy smile and she headed over to where Jerest had set up his tent and was sat with all of his attention focused on a book.  
" Hope I'm not interrupting…" Jo smiled gently as Jerest put down his book and looked up at her.  
" Not at all, here," He pulled his pack over to where he was sat, " Take a pew…"  
" Thanks," Jo sighed, sitting down next to him.  
The pair sat in silence for a few minutes, both just looking out over the tents and people before them.  
" Thank you for coming…" Jo eventually said, " I know it can't have been an easy decision to make, to come and here and potentially risk your lives for people you've never met…but I do appreciate it more than I could ever say."  
" It's an honour, believe me," Jerest assured her with another of his uplifting smiles. " But we're not doing anything special, we're just doing what you're doing…" That knowing sparkle became more noticeable in his eyes. " You're risking your lives for entire countries of people you've never been to or had even heard of until you arrived here. We're just glad to be able to finally stand up for our people, our families…" His eyes drifted over to Glyndwr for a second before looking back at Jo. " Our friends. Plus, we're joining a noble cause, a legendary group of people we've been hearing about all our lives. We're going to be famous, if nothing else!" He winked. " When you think about it, it's not really that tough a choice to make!" Jerest laughed gently as Jo rolled her eyes.  
" When you put it like that…I guess not," she agreed.  
" So, how can I help you…I have a feeling there was more to your coming over here than a simple thank you…" Jerest's face became slightly more serious, but his smile somehow never wavered for an instant.  
" You Meanders definitely have some kind of gift of foresight…" Jo thought aloud. " But you're right…I came to give you something…" Jo reached into her pocket to pull out one of her remaining tiger's eye beads strung onto a thread from her cloak. " I want you to have this, on behalf of your people…" Jerest tentatively took in his hands. " It will protect you…"  
" Magic beads…Then you really are a witch, aren't you?" He said, whetting his lips slightly.  
" So they tell me," Jo sighed, " These beads were a gift from a friend, a friend who is currently trapped in there…" Jo glowered at the castle. " He helped me find the magic within myself I didn't know was there…and I've given one to every person that has travelled with us, and I should dearly love to give one to every single one of your people who has come to help us…but as I only have a few left, I can only give one to you…"  
" And I thank you…" Jerest said quietly as he carefully tied the cord around his neck. " I thank you most sincerely…I had not expected such a kind gift, I shall look after it…"  
" No problem," Jo grinned. " But the plan is for the bead to look after you though…!"  
The pair of them laughed and hugged before Jo turned to seek out another recipient of one of her beads.  
She soon found him.  
Stretched out beneath a tree, basking in the occasional sunlight when it broke through the clouds was Billabong. He was laid out on his back, completely still and to all intents and purposes, he seemed to be asleep. Only the twitching back and forth of the end of his tail gave any indication that this was not the case. Jo hadn't gotten closer then eight or nine feet when he quickly rolled on to his stomach and was up on his feet in a flash. Eyes alert and muscles tensed ready to pounce on whatever danger was approaching. He visibly sagged to see that no such threat existed at that moment.  
" Sorry…It's just me," Jo grinned, running her hand over his head and down his back when she reached him. He sat down and held his head up for her to tickle under his chin, which she did. " That better…?" Jo asked. Billabong looked up at her with his large golden eyes and promptly flopped onto his back, obviously wanting similar treatment for his stomach. Jo rolled her eyes before crouching down next to him and obliging his unspoken request. Within moments he was purring loudly and Jo didn't doubt that if she didn't stop soon, he really would be asleep.  
" Well before you drift off again," Jo stopped scratching his belly, making him open his formerly closed eyes and look up at her expectantly. " I have something to give you…no it's not food…" She giggled as the regit jumped up and began snuffling all over her with his big pink nose. " Sorry to disappoint you again…it's just…you've watched out for us for so long, I thought I was about time you had someone, or something, watching out for you too…" Jo explained as she pulled out another bead on a longer length of cord and gently tied it around Billabong's throat. He sat still, almost as if he understood the importance of what she was doing. " Tiger's eye for a giant tiger…I mean, Regit," Jo corrected herself when Billabong shot her a confused look.  
She gave him another scratch behind his ear, drawing a loud moan of appreciation from him before heading back into the camp.  
Later that afternoon Jo was in her tent, she had been looking for some of the maps and plans she had brought with her from Vaniria, plans Mithras had made of the inside of the Black Castle based on all the myths, legends and rumours he had managed to lay his hands on. She wanted to go over them with Guillaume, Glyndwr, Jerest, Lina and the others to see if they could figure a way in that might spare them the arduous task of trying to get through the thousands of soldiers between them and the castle gates.  
But she had gotten a little sidetracked. Jo looked down at the ring now on the third finger of her left-hand, as she had been doing for the last twenty minutes or so. There was something so very reassuring about it, and yet it was an odd kind of reassurance. Like the kind of feeling you used to get when someone made you a promise. It wasn't set in stone, it wasn't for certain but something about knowing she had promised to marry Guillaume once this was all over, and he had promised to marry her, made the idea of them all getting through everything together, and in one piece, that little bit more possible. But someone rushing into her tent interrupted Jo's thoughts.  
" Jo…I think you should come down to the bridge…" Mark tapped her on the shoulder lightly, his face tight with a combination of panic and, Jo thought, anger.  
" Why…what is it…?" Jo stood up quickly.  
" It's Aitor…he wants to speak with you…"  
" Oh…" Jo sat back down, a look of disgust on her face. " If that's all it is then you can just go and tell that son of a bi-"  
" He's got someone with him," Mark added quietly. Jo frowned as she glanced up into Mark's own troubled face.  
" Wh-who?" Jo swallowed, suddenly aware that her throat had gotten very dry. " Who has he got with him…?" Mark tried to answer but no sound came out. " Mark?" Jo's voice was firmer as she rose to her feet once more, touching his arm gently.  
" You must promise me you won't overreact…" Mark finally managed.  
" Mark, you're starting to _scare_ me now," Jo's face was growing paler.  
" Well it's…it's…" Mark's green eyes looked worriedly into hers for a moment. " It's Mithras…but don't…!" Mark started but it was too late, Jo had already bolted past him. "…Don't do anything stupid!" He finished, grumbling to himself as he ran after her.  
Jo squeezed through the cluster of people who had gathered near to the riverbank and bridge. Eventually she could see the bridge and what lay on the other side. Dedra stood on the far side of the bridge. Behind him were four guards; two stood with their hands on their swords, the other two were holding someone between them. Although it looked as if they were all that was holding the person up, who was almost on their knees. The friends couldn't see his face but they knew it was Mithras and he didn't look good. Jo hurried forward to the start of the bridge where the rest of the group stood, pale and silent, all with expressions of anger on their faces. Jo stood alongside them, her hands balling up into fists by her sides, and glared out over the bridge at Dedra. Mark arrived a few moments after her, looking equally angry but with obvious concern shining in his eyes.  
" Jo…" He said quietly, looking down at her, noting the angry expression, fists and that she was now shifting her weight from one foot to the other. She looked like a fighter, psyching herself up before a fight. " Jo, you mustn't do anything stupid…" Before Jo could answer Dedra started to walk out onto the bridge, alone. His guards staying behind him on the far side. Jo glanced up into Mark's face.  
" I won't," She said grimly as she took a step out onto the bridge. Guillaume caught her arm and pulled her close to him.  
" Jo you can't go out there alone," He frowned, all anger on his face now replaced with fear.  
" I'll be fine, he only wants to talk with me…" She smiled, taking his hand and kissing its palm. " Plus I won't really be alone…" She kissed the ring on her finger and then smiled again before turning back to the bridge. She walked out slowly, her eyes never moving from Dedra, although his head was bowed so she could not see his eyes. He stopped just before halfway, as did she. For a moment or two they just stood like that, Dedra's gaze fixed on the wooden planks of the bridge, Jo eyes glaring at his head. And then he slowly looked up and his pale turquoise eyes looked into hers. There was silence in the air, a nervous silence. Rosie and Jenny exchanged worried glances, as did the others. Jo and Dedra stared at each other, neither one speaking or moving. And then, suddenly, Jo moved. In two quick strides she had covered the distance between them and she raised her hand and hit him. Her slap sounded like a gun crack in the silence. His face turned to the side with the force of the blow. 'Retribution or not, I needed to do that, Phillipe' Jo thought. He worked his jaw a few times, wincing slightly, before turning back to look down at her.  
" It's nice to see you too," He said grimly while Jo merely glared back up at him. He raised one of his eyebrows. " What…no hello?" He smirked and then feigned a hurt expression. " Oh you're not still upset about that business in the woods are you…?"  
" Shut up," Jo spat through gritted teeth, trying desperately not to cry.  
" Look, I am _genuinely_ sorry but…that wasn't my fault…how was I to know he'd go and follow you like that…" Dedra's face became gentler as did his voice, but it did nothing to change Jo's expression, which was growing darker and darker. " But it was hardly a surprise…Alvejan told you this would be someone's last journey…plus he _was_ getting on a bit…" By her sides, Jo's hands were forming into fists once again. " Of course it will have been upsetting but come on, it can't have been _that_ much of a shock that he popped his clogs…" Jo couldn't listen to any more, she quickly swung her fist once again but this time Dedra blocked her blow, catching hold of her wrist and span her around, pulling her against him with her back against his front, his other arm wrapping around her waist pinning her other arm to her side. " Temper temper," He said firmly as he held her. " Now then…we are in a bit of trouble aren't we…" She struggled harder but his hold merely increased. " That wasn't very clever was it?"  
" Let go…" Jo said, squirming to break free, still trying to hold back the angry tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. He held her tighter and brought his face next to hers, his eyes flashing to the bank where a furious Guillaume was being restrained by Mark and Martin. He sighed,  
" And what if I don't want to…" Dedra rubbed her cheek with his, trying to keep his mind on the fact that he was sent here to do a job and ignore the fact that all he wanted right now was for her to hold him like she had done in Aesina.  
_" Whatever it is, you don't have to face it alone," Jo had murmured as she had held him in her arms. " You're one of us now…"_  
Dedra would have given anything to have her hug him like that again.  
However, Jo it seemed wanted nothing of the sort. She kicked back with her heel and struck him in the shin. He groaned and bent over slightly, but he didn't release his grip. " You bitch…!" He cursed, his eyes watering.  
" I think you mean _witch_!" Jo said angrily trying to wrench herself away from him once more. Straightening up he brought his face close to hers once again.  
" Enough fun and games for now…" He said, quickly allowing his lips to brush her skin before spinning her back out and away from him. Jo scrubbed at her face as if his brief kiss had burned her skin. " I have a job to do…" Jo looked at him with narrowed eyes.  
" Whatever it is, I'm _not_ interested…" Jo spat before turning sharply on her heel and starting to march back over the bridge when Dedra's voice stopped her dead in her tracks.  
" It's Mithras."  
Slowly Jo turned back, head slightly tilted to one side in the manner of someone who knows they're about to be given a choice that really, they have no choice about.  
" What about him…?"  
" Obsequious will free him, hand him over to you here and now…"  
" For what…?" Jo demanded, her eyes flitting over the still figure of Mithras on the far side of the river. " What does he want…? If it's the Crystals then he's more stupid than I gave him credit for! Mithras would never want me to give up the crystals for…"  
" It's not the crystals…" Dedra's voice almost purred as he cut her off, surprise evident on her face. " He wants nothing more than a simple exchange…Mithras…for you…"


	53. PART 89

This was arguably one of the hardest decisions she'd had to make in her life.  
This was serious.  
And, more worryingly, it looked as if she would have to give her response within a matter of moments. More guards began to line up at the far side of the river beyond Dedra. Jo bit her lip as a million and one thoughts, feelings and fears flew threw her mind.  
She knew what she _should_ do, that was obvious. But _could_ she…?  
" Alright…" Jo could hear the sound of her voice but wasn't quite sure if she had heard herself correctly.  
" Alright…?" Dedra repeated, surprise ringing in his voice.  
" If that's what I have to do to make sure that Mithras is freed then yes, I'll do it." Jo looked Dedra straight in the eye with a level of courage she didn't think she had in her. " But, I have some conditions…"  
Dedra motioned for her to go on and voice these conditions. Unable to speak out of shock. He never doubted that Jo would do the right thing when faced with a situation like this, and yet it was still a surprise to hear her volunteer to give herself to her enemy with nothing to gain except the freedom of a friend. He sighed inwardly. A friend. Something he was unlikely to ever be again…  
" You've got to let me say 'Goodbye' first…" Jo said firmly, her eyes staring boldly into Dedra's.  
" Fair enough…but I cannot give you too long," It was hardly the 'Of course, take as long as you need' that he had wanted to say but had had to hold back. He hated what he was doing and moreover hated him self for not standing up against everything before now. If he was ever going to help Jo, and the others, it was not now. No matter how much he wanted to.  
" And no harm must come to any of my friends," Her voice became darker, her tone was nothing short of threatening. Sending a dark promise to Dedra that he could feel burning into him. " I swear, anything that is done to them will be done to you, by me, and will be worse…"  
Dedra nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak. Her words and tone would have frightened lesser men quite easily but it was not that which hurt him so. It was the pain and fear in her eyes of making a decision that no one should be faced with. And it was a place _he_ had put her in.  
" Go say your farewells," He turned around and started to walk back across the bridge. " And be quick about it…" He shot back over his shoulder but with no power behind it. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold his men back for long, even if he wanted to.  
Jo stood, motionless on the bridge for a moment or two. Breathing long, deep breaths and trying to stop the shaking that has somehow taken over her body without her noticing. She turned around to look back at her friends assembled on the riverbank. All of their faces a combination of apprehension, anger, hope and curiosity.  
How could she tell them what she had just agreed to…how could she tell him…?  
Eventually her feet began to move and she walked calmly across the bridge back to her friends, where the questions and comments began almost instantly.  
" Nice punch!"  
" So…what did _it_ want…?"  
" Why's he brought Mithras down here?"  
" Did he ask about the crystals…?"  
" I hope you told him what we think of him…!"  
" She wasn't there long enough for that, plus I didn't hear her call him a tw-!"  
" Are you guys going to let me speak anytime soon or what…?" Jo interrupted.  
" Well…?" Rosie urged after a short pause had passed.  
" He says…" Jo frowned slightly and swallowed, her body was no longer trembling as much but her voice had a tremor to it that surely her friends wouldn't miss. " He says they'll free Mithras…"  
All eyes shot across the river to their former tutor and friend. Still hanging limply between two guards.  
" But at what price…?" Marius asked quietly although for the edgy silence that followed it, he might has well have yelled it.  
" Do they want the crystals…?" Lina prompted when no answer came from Jo.  
" No,"  
" What, not even _some_ of them…?" Simon exclaimed.  
" Not one of them,"  
" Well, what _do_ they want then…?" asked Martin, his tone betraying that he would really rather not know the answer.  
Jo tried to reply, but no sound came out.  
" …Jo?" Mark's own voice was little more than a hesitant whisper.  
" Me."  
Silence followed.  
" You…what do you mean, you…?" Jenny frowned.  
" They will exchange Mithras for me…" Jo said quietly, looking at the floor.  
" You've said no though, right?" Jo didn't reply.  
" You're not actually going to with _him_ are you?" Aradia glared at Dedra and then at Jo, disbelief shining in her lilac eyes.  
Jo sighed and looked up.  
" If I go with him now then you and the Meanders will be spared a battle that you can't possibly win today, the crystals will still be with us…." Jo tried to convince them, her eyes moving from one unsure face to another. A harder task than she had anticipated. Maybe it was that they could sense just how nervous she was about the whole idea herself. Maybe it was herself she was trying to convince. Suddenly it didn't sound anything like the good idea it had seemed a few moments ago.  
" You're not going," Guillaume's opinion was voiced loud and clear.  
" But don't you see…I _have_ to…" Jo moved before him, her tone pleading.  
" You're _not_ going!" Guillaume repeated firmly before whirling around. " She's not going!" He all but screamed out over the bridge at where Dedra stood. His eyes glittered madly with what might have been anger, but was in fact tears.  
" You promised me…you told me you had no intention of getting lost, remember?" Guillaume held Jo's shoulders tightly, his voice trembling.  
" And I don't sweetheart, but…" Jo started to explain but was cut off.  
" Then don't leave me…" Guillaume's voice had suddenly become much quieter, his face more frightened. " Jo, you just can't."  
" I'm not leaving you," Jo whispered, laying a hand on his cheek. " I'll be back, I promise…"  
Guillaume threw a dark glance at the black castle across the river and an even darker one at Dedra, stood waiting for their answer.  
" I think that's a promise that's beyond even _your_ keeping…" Guillaume swallowed.  
" Look, if I go now there will be no fighting today…we'll still have the crystals, and we'll have Mithras back. Who will have at least one plan of what to do next I have no doubt of that!" Jo continued, turning Guillaume's face to look back at her. " Something in here tells me that this is the right thing to do…just like I know marrying you is the right thing to do…!" Jo took Guillaume's hand and put it over her heart. " I don't have a choice…" Tears leapt into Jo's eyes and her voice broke. " Do you think I _want_ to leave you…? Leave all the people I care about, that I love? I never _ever_ want to leave your side, but unless you can think of some other option right now what choice do I have…?" Jo collapsed against Guillaume's chest, holding him tightly. " I'm so scared…" She whispered over and over again as he stroked his hair.  
Their friends watching on, their arms around each other, all with tear bright eyes and nervous faces.  
Suddenly Jo felt Guillaume pushing her away to the side and whirled around to see Dedra in front of them. His guards had filed over the bridge and had surrounded them, cutting them off from the Meanders.  
" Time to go Jo," said Dedra, not quite looking anyone in the eyes.  
" No, not yet," Jo tried to argue, backing away slightly as several other guards began to approach her. " I've not said my goodbyes…you _promised_ me I could say my goodbyes!"  
Dedra didn't reply, although his jaw visibly tightened as he waved his guards forwards.  
" She said she's _not_ ready," Guillaume roared, drawing his sword and charging at Dedra.  
As Jo watched everything seemed to slow down. Guillaume's sword seemed to arc lazily in the air down towards Dedra's, which had had only just managed to draw in time. Her friends began a charge of their own but they weren't moving quick enough. There were guards all around her now, she fumbled with her own sword, crying out in frustration as she felt a pair of hands grip hold of her arm and pull it away from her blade's handle. She struggled and somehow managed to break free from the hands, but only for a moment. She tried to run to Guillaume, still fighting Dedra, but out of nowhere another guard appeared blocking her path. She ran straight into him.  
" Noooo…" Jo cried out as she felt her arms being restrained behind her and her feet lifted from the ground.  
Suddenly the world went back to normal, the cries and yells of her friends ringing in her ears. But none so loudly as Guillaume's.  
As he turned to see her being carried away he let out a cry of such anguish Jo felt as if her heart would break into a thousand pieces. Then Dedra struck. While Guillaume's attention was focused on Jo, he swung his sword and caught the back of Guillaume's head with his sword's handle. Knocking him to the ground.  
As Guillaume fell to the floor and out of Jo's sight, she struggled afresh, kicking out at anything and anyone near her. But she couldn't break free. Not this time.  
They carried Jo over the bridge as Mithras was hauled back over the other side and dumped unceremoniously on the muddy bank. Dedra turned to follow Jo and his guards when he felt someone grab his leg. Looking down he could see it was Mithras.  
" What have you done…?" Mithras croaked, his eyes wide and bright with fear. " You fool…Don't you realise what you've done…?"  
" It's not your concern any more," Dedra said angrily, shaking his leg free of Mithras' hold although he couldn't honestly say whether his anger was more at Mithras for pointing out his mistake, or at himself for making it in the first place.  
Dedra quickly sheathed his sword and ran to catch up with his guards, once again not quite looking Jo in the eyes.  
" Straight to the grand hall," Dedra instructed the soldiers as they marched their way over the bridge and into the enemy camp on the far side.  
" You bastard!" Jo screamed at him. " 'Goodbye'…that's all I wanted to say to him, to tell him I _loved_ him!" Trying to lash out with her feet at Dedra as he marched alongside her, eyes fixed on the ground. " You'll regret this! I swear you'll regret this someday…!"  
" I already do…" Dedra sighed heavily as the group marched onwards towards the black castle.  
Jo didn't stop struggling for a moment, not even when her friends blended in with the swarm of dark soldiers that amassed behind the group carrying her, their shouts and cries lost on the wind. Not even when they reached the drawbridge. Not even when they passed through the ominous gateway and inside.  
Only when the sunlight was taken away and the distinct chill in the air sent a shiver down her spine did Jo stop. She was trapped and, for the first time on this adventure, she really did feel as if she had made a very grave mistake.


	54. PART 90

Mithras hissed loudly as Aradia dabbed at a particularly nasty cut on his cheek.  
" Sorry," The Princess shrank back instantly.  
The friends had carried Mithras into the nearest tent once the guards had moved and trooped back over to their side of the river after they had stood in stunned silence watching as the small procession passed through the camp and into the castle, carrying their friend with them.  
Jo was gone.  
Aradia started to clean Mithras' wounds once more. Wiping away the combination of dried blood and dirt and goodness knows what else that coated most of his visible skin. He winced and hissed but tried to stay as still as he could. Aradia's face was an example in controlled rage. Her outer persona seemed calm enough but her lilac eyes glittered with rage bubbling away under the surface.  
The rest of the group watched on pensively, all bursting with a hundred and one questions but knowing that they should wait until their former tutor was at least a _little_ more comfortable.  
Eventually Aradia sat back and wiped her hands on a spare piece of bandage.  
" So…" Lucy said after a few very awkward moments had passed. " It's good to see you again…" She smiled as warmly as she could.  
" It's good to be seen," Mithras replied, his voice huskier than they remembered it being, his face and body a lot thinner too, but his grey eyes were as sharp and intelligent as ever. " There was a time, not so long ago, that I didn't think I'd ever be seen again…" He smiled, a painful smile full of suppressed anger and dismay. " So, yes…it's good to be seen…"  
" Can you tell us what happened…at Vaniria, I mean?" Rosie asked.  
Mithras sat back, wincing a little with the movement, and closed his eyes briefly.  
" They came in the night, I managed to get the King and Queen into the Great Hall but…_he_ was there…"  
_" Well, well, well…" Dedra smiled but it was far from a pleasant expression. " Haven't we grown? Life at court must agree with you I think…" He sneered while Mithras' face remained impassive. " What…?" Dedra feigned a look of hurt. " No brotherly embrace for your old friend?" A sandy eyebrow rose on his forehead.  
" I'd rather hug a rattlesnake," Mithras said calmly. Dedra laughed, it bounced off the walls loudly…_  
" We fought, I was trying to keep his attention focused on me so they could escape but…it didn't work…"  
_Eos lay on the floor, pale and gasping, a large red stain on the front of her gown showing where the sword had pierced her. Marduk was knelt by her side, holding her close as the life flowed from her._  
" Marduk and I charged at him, his sword was stuck in his scabbard though…"  
_There was a groan as Marduk and Dedra collided and Mithras closed his eyes tightly, trying not to see what had just happened in front of him. Slowly, taking deep breaths to try and prevent himself from passing out or vomiting, he opened his eyes. The King and Queen now lay side by side, motionless, their hands reaching out for each other._  
Mithras turned his piercing gaze to Aradia. " I did everything I could, I offered my own life but…but he took theirs…I'm so sorry…" He hung his head.  
" I know you did..." Aradia said softly, reaching out to lift his chin and look into his sorrowful eyes with her own. " And I'm sure they knew that too…"  
" Thank you, your highness," Mithras smiled faintly at the princess.  
" And then they brought you here…?" Mark enquired, offering Mithras some water.  
" Yes," He nodded and smiled his thanks as he took the cup of water. " For a lovely routine of daily beatings and insults…" He sipped the water. " I only saw Obsequious once…"  
_" Mithras…I just want us to talk, about many things…" Obsequious purred dangerously. " This has nothing to do with that silly little quest…" His tone was almost reassuring but the glint in his eyes kept Mithras' guard up. " More of a chat…about the past…" Obsequious smirked as he saw even more confusion pour into the face before him. " About old haunts…old _friends_…" Mithras' eyes narrowed even further. " That type of thing…" Mithras glanced from Obsequious to Dedra and back again, suddenly aware that there was a similar glint in both sets of eyes.  
" It's…it's about _her_ isn't it…"_  
" Who was he talking about…?" Marius frowned after Mithras had briefly relayed the outline of their conversation.  
Mithras looked down at his boots, looking decidedly nervous.  
" Julia…"  
" Julia?" came the loud and curious response from all sat around him.  
" What on earth was he doing talking about _her_?" Lina demanded.  
" Does he know what happened to her…?" asked Aradia.  
" Yes and no…" Mithras shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position to sit in. Once he'd finished fidgeting he looked over the intrigued group before him. " But before I go on…What do _you_ all know of her…?"  
" Well, Jo had this dream and it was about Aradia and this Ju, I mean Julia, when they were younger…" Bertrande explained quickly.  
" You were in it too, Mithras!" Interjected Martin.  
" And it was the day of the attack of Aesina by all accounts…" continued Bertrande. " And Jo's dream seemed to indicate that maybe she'd escaped…"  
" Then when we were in Crystallia, some of my friends and family let slip about an old legend…" Lina continued from where Bertrande left off. " A legend stating that a second heir in Aesina would rule Vaniria and that such an heir would have been kept secret…"  
" Anyway, Jo put two and two together-" Simon added. " As I would suspect she almost always does," Jerest muttered with a wink.  
" And figured out that maybe this Julia was in fact the second heir…"  
" _And_ that if she was alive somewhere then maybe we could find her and…I dunno…rally all the people against Obsequious, or something…" Amos finished.  
There was a pause while Mithras digested all that he had been told, with a familiar twinkle in his eyes.  
" So, you know that here was a child called Julia, who grew up alongside Aradia who might have been the second heir to Aesina and, as a result of their being no direct heir's of Vaniria, consequently the heir to Vaniria…"  
The friends nodded their agreement.  
" Well, that certainly makes my task a _little_ simpler…" Mithras took a deep breath, signalling that what he had to say was still going to take some explanation.  
He looked around at the hopeful faces around him and sighed.  
" First things first, Julia was, I mean _is_ the heir to Vaniria…"  
There was an explosion of noise in the tent. Whoops and shouts of joy and exclamations of 'Oh yeah!' and 'I knew it!' rang in the air.  
" Hang on…did you just say she _is_ the heir…?" Glyndwr's dark eyebrows knitted together in thought. " You mean to tell us…she's alive somewhere…?"  
" In a way, yes," Mithras answered after a moment's thought.  
" Are you going to give us any straight answers at any point in the near future…?" Rosie grinned, in spite of the situation.  
The tutor smiled back.  
" Sorry, it's just I've spent so long making sure the truth was concealed that…well…I'll try to be more open with you…" He sighed. " On the day of the attack in Aesina, Aradia and I escaped to the North to Vaniria where we grew up…Julia was taken West, to be hidden in the Blue Woods, the kingdom had allies there that would ensure she was concealed until she was of an age where she could be given the responsibilities that she was born to have and be able to defend them and herself…" Mithras paused.  
" But I'm guessing something happened in the woods…" prompted Marius.  
" A small band of Incubus' troops had spotted the group as they fled Aesina and followed them. They hadn't taken any real protection with them and the group was soon split up when the troops attacked. Julia ran through the woods, trying to find someplace to hide…when she tripped and fell, striking her head on a stone in a clearing…"  
" Oh no…" Jenny murmured quietly to herself, squeezing Amos' hand in her own.  
" She stumbled on a little, but she was badly hurt. Some Meanders found her and then…and then, so it is said, the first Gyratory appeared and she…well, the Meanders took her through it…"  
" So where did they go…?" Simon asked, eyes wide like a child listening to a particularly riveting bedtime story.  
" I don't know," Mithras shrugged honestly. " No one does…"  
" But, if you don't know where they went, how come you think she's still alive…?" Martin asked, bemused.  
" Well, I can only tell you what I was told but…it was believed that some part of her remained, caught in the Gyratory, waiting for her to return when her country needed her the most…"  
" Then she has…?" Amos offered, hopefully.  
" Kind of…what the Gyratory was really waiting for was for someone to pass through with the same kinds of qualities that made Julia who she was…"  
" So the real Julia didn't survive the Gyratory…?" Aradia bit her lip slightly.  
" To be completely honest, I don't know…" Mithras shrugged. " But I like to think she simply was taken to a place from where she couldn't return, a happy, peaceful place…" He gave the princess a comforting smile.  
" So, if she hasn't come back then who has…?" Mark frowned.  
" Well, the legend you were told of when you arrived spoke of strangers carrying a wounded friend…a wounded friend with very specific attributes…" Mithras spoke slowly and carefully. " The friend would have courage and honesty, compassion and, perhaps more tellingly, a head wound like the one Julia had when she vanished through the Gyratory…"  
" You mean…it's _Jo_…?" Lina exclaimed.  
" But that's ridiculous…Jo hurt her head when she hit her head in the Garden of Gethsemane…she had it before she entered the Gyratory…" Jenny reasoned. " Surely it was just coincidence…"  
" Perhaps…but haven't you noticed certain things about Jo that have become more obvious as her time here has passed…?" Mithras asked knowingly. " Her dreams…? Which sound more like memories when you think about it…"  
" She _has_ known a lot of things without any reasoning behind them…" Lucy admitted quietly.  
" Like that hidden chamber in Aesina…" Simon recalled.  
" Yeah, Aradia, you _both_ remembered that at the same…" Martin started but stopped as he saw the first sparkles of tears forming in Aradia's eyes.  
" Are you telling me that Jo is my sister…?" Aradia asked Mithras, her voice slightly shaky.  
" Kind of," Mithras replied slowly. " She has within her the essence of the girl who was your sister…but she is not the same person…"  
" Is this why Obsequious wanted Jo…does he know who she once was?" Mark demanded.  
" I believe so," came the sad response.  
" But what does he want with her…? Surely he must realise she will have gone in there with no crystals…what can he gain by taking her from us…?" Lucy shook her head in confusion.  
" He has gained a bargaining position he didn't have before…" Mithras admitted. " But I think it may be something more serious than simply that…"  
" Like what…?" pressed Marius.  
" Well, Ju, or should I say Jo, is the rightful heir to Vaniria…if he were to marry her then…"  
" Then he would be a rightful ruler by marriage…" Lina said slowly and with every word there was more dread in her voice.  
" And no matter what we did with the crystals, he would still rule the kingdom…which is all he ever wanted. Power, and lots of it!" Mithras finished.  
The tent went silent.  
" Does that mean Aitor knew who she was…?" Martin asked after a minute or two.  
" Who's Aitor…?" Mithras frowned slightly.  
" He was that man on the bridge, who handed you over…"  
"Aitor?" Mithras eyes widened. " That's not his name…"  
" Well, we'd guessed that much, him being a spy and all," Lina frowned.  
" You mean, you don't know who he really was…?" Mithras' mouth fell open in surprise.  
" Should we…?" Aradia asked, washing her hands.  
" That was…I mean…" Mithras swallowed, trying to regain his composure. " It's Dedra."  
" Dedra…?" Aradia repeated then her eyes widened. " Dedra?"  
" Where do I know that name…?" wondered Bertrande aloud.  
" Wasn't he the other name in Jo's dream…?" Marius suggested.  
" He _was_ another of our childhood friends, yes," Mithras admitted coldly.  
" And all this time I never realised…" Aradia stood up and kicked out at one of the packs lying on the ground. " God, I'm so stupid…!"  
" No, you're not," Mithras soothed. " It's been a great many years since you saw each other…and his job was to make sure you never recognised him…"  
" So, what do we do now…?" Jerest asked once it was clear no one else was going to speak.  
" First of all, there is something one of us is going to have to do. Who's…who's going to tell Guillaume all this…?" Rosie asked cautiously. The Artigatian hadn't followed them into the tent, staying by the river instead.  
" I will," Aradia replied almost instantly. " It should be me…"  
She turned to leave but someone stood in her way. It was Glyndwr.  
Without a word he took her into his arms and embraced her tightly, kissing her forehead as she hugged him back.  
" Everything will be alright…I promise…" He whispered as he stepped back and let his hands and arms slip away from her.  
" I hope so…" She said shakily with the weakest of smiles on her lips.  
With that the princess walked out of the tent and headed down towards the river.


	55. PART 91

It was pitch black and cold. All the candles and torches hung on the black walls seemed to do was augment just how bleak it was. Jo was fighting a losing battle against her nerves as she was marched down corridor after twisting corridor. The two boulder-like guards who each had a hold of one of her arms didn't speak or even look at her. Dedra walked in front, leading the way. Occasionally glancing back at her over his shoulder. Whenever he did this, Jo narrowed her eyes and tried to look as angry as she could. If nothing else, she was not going to let him know just how scared she was.  
This was what the whole quest had been about. This was the evil they had been trying their hardest to defeat. The one man who threatened all they had come to love since their arrival in Vaniria was just a few more steps away and Jo wasn't sure that now she was about to face him…would she be able to stand up for herself and, more importantly, the thousands of people whose freedom she represented.  
They stopped walking outside a pair of huge black doors made of thick black wood, engraved with sharp and angular patterns that seemed to ooze evil out of every knot and crack.  
Jo barely had time to register that this was the moment she had been waiting for and take a steadying breath when the doors were open and she was marched inside.  
The battle was about to begin…  
The room appeared to be empty, although the word room didn't really do the place justice. It was a great hall, like the one in Vaniria in which she had danced with Guillaume, her fiancé. Just thinking the word brought a smile to her lips. One she quickly hid. She wasn't going to drop her guard for even the briefest moment if she could help it. The room was bare, apart from a throne on a raised platform at one end, swathed in black, gauzy material from above like some elaborate canopy. It looked like a spider's web. And the thought that some similar monster may lurk within waiting to entrap anyone weak enough to stray to close sent a shiver down Jo's spine. The walls were hung with similar drapes and the windows soared from the floor to the very beams above, but the light pouring in seemed to be swallowed by the darkness of the décor, stripping it of all it's warmth, making it cold and sterile.  
" Stop…" A voice called out from the shadows. " You may leave our guest, and make sure you close the doors behind you all…"  
Jo frowned, she could see no one.  
Dedra gave her a quick glance as he bowed his head slightly and turned to leave. His turquoise eyes a mixture of emotions too complex for Jo to read in the seconds she had to look into them but something there, something she saw made her feel she wasn't the only nervous one here. Dedra marched out and was followed by the two 'boulder brothers' who sloped out of the room, closing the enormous doors behind them.  
Jo cast her eyes around, searching for the source of the voice.  
" Hello…?" She called, her voice sounding much more confident than she felt. She turned slowly on the spot. " I know you're here…show yourself and stop wasting my time!"  
" As you wish…I've been expecting you for sometime…" The voice replied as movement near the throne drew Jo's eye to it. And there he stood.  
Obsequious.  
Smooth, black hair fell down onto his shoulders, around his pale skinned face with its coal black eyes. A finely structured face with a well defined jaw-line.  
He was taller than she had expected him to be, a least a head taller then Guillaume, who towered over her anyway.  
He smiled, a thoroughly unpleasant and very possessive expression, as his eyes locked with hers. Jo found she couldn't move, almost paralysed by his dark gaze.  
" Welcome to my humble abode…" He practically hissed as he slithered across the floor towards her, long black clothes hiding his limbs and making his movement seem even more ghostly and disturbing. " It's a pleasure to finally meet you at last…" He reached out to take her hand but Jo suddenly recovered the ability to move. She snatched it out of the way, back handing him across the face as she did so. A small smile of satisfaction on her face, maybe she would be able to stand up to him after all.  
" The pleasure must be all yours then," Jo replied, watching as he slowly rubbed his cheek where here blow had struck. But when he lowered his hand he didn't not frown or make to return the blow, he simply grinned at her. A truly evil grin, with a worrying glint in his black eyes.  
" Such passion…just as I had expected…"  
" What do you want…?" Jo asked, trying to ignore the way in which his eyes roamed over her as she stood before him.  
" Oh I want many things…" He whispered as he began to walk around her. Circling her the way a predator circles its prey. Reaching out for a moment to feel the texture of her hair, until Jo shook it free from his fingers and glared at him warningly. " But first things first, I feel there are certain things, certain facts you should be acquainted with…things that you must know about why you're here…things about the heritage of Aesina and Vaniria…"  
" You might as well save your breath, I already know all about the second heir, about Julia…" Jo said proudly.  
" Really…? Then you are more clever than I had given you credit for…" Obsequious pondered for a moment. " However, although you may have worked out who Julia was, once, I doubt that you have any idea of what happened to her and where she is right now…" Obsequious voice oozed over to Jo. " Do you…?"  
" Well…not exactly, no…but neither do you!" Jo countered as bravely as she could. There was something very unnerving about the way he kept staring at her.  
" I thought not," Obsequious chuckled to himself. There was something about the condescension in his tone that started to make Jo's blood boil.  
" We know she might still be alive out there…" Jo started but the smug expression on the dark lord's face stopped her dead.  
" Not might be, she is. And she's not out there…" Obsequious drew his face closer before whispering, almost conspiratorially. " She's in here…!"  
" You mean you have her in this castle?" Jo demanded hotly. " Well if she is here it makes no difference…my friends are only awaiting the arrival of our friends and their armies and then this castle will be stormed, she will be freed and you, you pathetic little man, will be _ours_ to deal with as we wish…" Jo smirked. " Whats that look for…?" She asked after a pause.  
Obsequious' face held an expression of slight amusement combined with almost parental affection.  
" Do you _honestly_ think this is all going to be so simple…?" He asked.  
" Well, up until you said that…yes…" Jo admitted candidly. " Why? What are you going to do to stop it being so simple…?"  
" What if when your friends storm my castle, should these armies arrive, the missing Princess isn't here…and neither am I…?"  
" You're going to run away…?" Jo exclaimed. " Wouldn't surprise me one bit you cowardly son of a-"  
" Not me…_we_." Obsequious corrected.  
Jo frowned.  
" …what do you mean, we…?" Jo's brow lowered over her green eyes.  
" You and me…we…"  
" And why would _we_ do that…?" Suddenly Jo felt a nervous sweat breaking out in her palms.  
" Because _you're_ the heir to the Vanirian throne…"  
" You must be joking…"  
" You're royalty, Jo…"  
" This is utter nonsense!" Jo said plainly. " I couldn't be _less_ of a Princess if I tried, and if you don't believe me I'm sure Aradia probably has a list as long as her arm of all the _un-regal_ things I do!"  
" That may be the case, but it's the truth," Obsequious continued.  
" I knew you were mad, but now I can tell you're completely _crazy_!" Jo all but yelled at him.  
" Think of all that has happened since you arrived here…all the things you've seen and heard…all the things you've _known_…" His tone remained calm.  
Jo frowned.  
" Have you never heard of a thing called coincidence before…?" Jo retorted although her heart wasn't behind her words anymore as the cold feeling of doubt started to creep into her thoughts again.  
" Coincidence is one thing…memories are quite another…" With that Obsequious waved his hand in the air between them and a ball of mist appeared. Jo squinted against the brightness of it for a moment or two before an image started to become clear. It was the face from her dreams. It was Ju, the little girl from her dreams…  
The face began to change. The eyes remained fixed on hers while the rest of the face began to age. Almost as if she was watching a film in fast forward, the little girl started to grow up. Her freckles spreading slightly over her changing face shape. Her mouth becoming more determined while her dimples became defined cheekbones. Jo shook her head in disbelief, trying to turn her head away but Obsequious was by her side in a flash, forcing her head to look back into the mist. The little girl was nowhere to be seen. Jo knew the face looking back at her. It was a face she had seen hundreds of times before, reflected in mirrors, windows, rivers and lakes. It was her own face.  
" No!" Jo screamed, waving her arm through the mist and causing it to evaporate.  
" Oh I am sorry…did I upset you…?" Obsequious asked, drifting around to stand before her once again. Jo took a moment to gather her thoughts together before lifting her head to look him straight in the eye.  
" Your little magic trick there, whilst impressive, doesn't prove a thing…any one can see anything in anything given the right stimulus…" Jo said smoothly.  
" So why are you trembling so much…?" He stretched out a pale hand and ran it down her arm. Jo stepped back, yanking her arm away from his hand.  
" Maybe because it's freezing in here…honestly, black on black…hardly homely is it…?"  
" Your sense of humour is charming…" Obsequious said thoughtfully, looking at her the way someone evaluates a new puppy or a new house. Sizing up the good and the bad.  
" Well I'm glad you think so but if you have nothing else to talk to me about…I'll take my leave…" Jo bowed her head slightly and whirled around, striding confidently towards the door.  
" It makes no difference whether you believe me now or later…the fact is you are who you are…and you're here…" Obsequious called after her.  
Jo rolled her eyes and tried to open the doors. They were locked, not to mention the fact they looked like they probably weighed the best part of a tonne a piece.  
" What's the matter…can't we open the doors…?" His mocking tone danced around her ears like an annoying insect.  
" _We_ could if they were unlocked…" Jo turned back and gasped in spite of herself for Obsequious was stood right behind her.  
" And why would I do a silly thing like leaving the door unlocked when I have someone as important as your Highness in here with me…I couldn't have just anyone wandering in here now could I…?" He stepped closer towards her, backing her against the doorframe, cornering her with his tall frame.  
" Don't call me that…" Jo said through tightly clenched teeth.  
" Why ever not…?" Obsequious looked genuinely bemused by her request. " I'm only using your rightful title, Princess…" He smirked.  
Jo raised her hand to slap him again but he caught hold of her hand and pushed it back against the door with surprising strength.  
" Now…you hit me once…I will not tolerate it again, do you understand me…?" He leant into her, she could feel his breath against her skin and it nauseated her.  
" Just who do you think you are…?" Jo asked bravely. " I'm not a child to be told what I can and can't do…"  
" No, you're right…" His gaze travelled lazily down her body as he held her against the door before returning to her face, covetousness clear in his expression and again the nausea swept over her body. " You are no child, Jo…but you are my prisoner. My property until you are released…"  
" Sorry to disappoint you but I am no one's property…" Jo smiled sweetly before quickly lifting her knee and catching him in the groin. He groaned and doubled over as Jo pushed him aside and made her way back into the centre of the room. It was further away from the door, but there were no corners here she could get put into.  
" We'll see…" Obsequious finally said once he had recovered his composure and wandered back to face her. " You'll learn to appreciate the advantages of being on my good side…"  
" I don't think so," Jo said tightly.  
" Well, you'll have very little else to do once I've taken over Vaniria…" Obsequious laughed but stopped when he noticed Jo was laughing too. Almost hysterically. " And just what is so funny…?" He commanded firmly.  
" You are!" Jo laughed, wiping tears of amusement from her eyes. " Do you honestly think that you and that stupid lap dog of yours, that complete bastard Aitor, have any chance against…"  
" _Aitor_? Oh you must mean Dedra," Obsequious' eyes sparkled malevolently.  
" Dedra?" Jo exclaimed before shrugging. Whatever his name was it didn't change _what_ he was, or what she thought of him. Although that name did sound somehow familiar… " Well, whatever he calls himself, you have no chance…do you hear me, no chance…the people aren't afraid of you anymore…not that I can see anything that they should have been afraid of in the first place to be honest…"  
Obsequious looked at her again, that same gaze of appraisal before smiling slightly.  
" You must be tired, I think it's time you went to your room…"  
" What are you going to do? Send me to the tower?" Jo scoffed, hoping that humour might distract him long enough for her mind to try and think of a way out.  
" Nice idea," Obsequious smirked with obvious humour. " You really are utterly remarkable you know…"  
" And you really are a complete sh-!" Jo started but he cut her off.  
" You and I will be leaving here in the morning, after all it's about time you went home…don't you think…?" Obsequious wandered away from her, pulling on a cord and signalling for the 'boulder brothers' to come back in. " Take her Majesty to the tower, and make sure no one leaves or enters that room unless it is myself! Understood…?" He barked, the two hulking guards nodded their understanding although Jo wasn't entirely sure whether they had genuinely understood or rather it was simply a reflex reaction to being asked a question.  
"And as for you…." Obsequious spun around to face Jo once more, his cloak fanning out around him momentarily looking like dark, black wings. " Get some rest, my dear, you'll need it. It's a long way back to Vaniria and we shall not be stopping until we get there…"  
" I'm not your dear…" Jo started to say but was hauled off of her feet by the two guards and carried out of the room, Obsequious' eyes fixed on her until she had gone out of sight.  
Jo was carried up a winding staircase until they reached a large wooden door. On the other side was a small, round room. Obviously at the top of one of the many towers in the black castle. Jo felt herself being lowered to the ground before the two guards closed the door and stood in front of it.  
" Can't see me getting out that way then…?" Jo murmured to herself as she brushed herself down. She looked around. The room was empty except for a simple bed with a blanket and a glass-less window. She sat down on the bed and looked around, shivering as a cool breeze came in through the window. " Home sweet bloody home…" She muttered as she looked out of the window at the grey covered sky outside. There would be no escape, not tonight anyway.


	56. PART 92

Guillaume hadn't moved. Not since they had carried her away. He had sat up, his head throbbing from Dedra's blow but nothing could ever hurt as much as his heart did at that moment, and had remained there on the riverbank alone; his dark eyes staring at the black castle and tears slowly coursing down his face.  
It felt like some part of him had been ripped out and while he wasn't dying or bleeding, he felt as if the pain would overwhelm him at any moment and drown him in his own hopelessness. He felt like part of himself had been torn away and he feared it would never be brought back.  
The sound of approaching feet pulled him back to reality.  
" You alright…?" Aradia asked gently as she approached him.  
" Not really…" Guillaume sighed, dragging the back of his hand over his eyes to wipe the tears away. " You…?"  
" I've been better…" She admitted with a heavy sigh.  
" How's…how's Mithras…?" Guillaume's eyes never moved from the castle.  
" A mess, but Lina and Jenny are looking after him," The princess explained. " A lot of it is just superficial stuff…cuts and bruises…plus he's starving…"  
" I'm not surprised," Guillaume nodded his agreement. " I meant to come in but I just couldn't…" His voice tailed off.  
" We know…" Aradia said sympathetically, letting her own eyes wander over to the castle on the horizon. " He's…er…He's been telling us as much as he's been able to work out about Obsequious' plans…" Aradia began to fiddle with a stray piece of cotton on her shirt. " And about why he wanted Jo…"  
Guillaume's entire body stiffened and when he spoke, his voice was taut with barely suppressed anger.  
" And why's that…?"  
" Because…because of who she is…" Aradia replied, biting her lip as another wave of emotions threatened to wash over her and wash her away with them.  
" You mean, because she's our leader…?" Guillaume's tone wavered slightly.  
" Kind of, but…not really…" Aradia admitted. " It's a little more complicated than that…"  
Guillaume looked up at her, one dark eyebrow raised suspiciously.  
" Complicated how…?"  
" Well, you remember all those dreams Jo had about me as a child, with Mithras…?"  
" Ye-e-es," Guillaume replied slowly.  
" And that when we were in Crystallia, Ella and Tom told us about that legendary second heir who Jo worked out could be my childhood friend, Julia…?"  
" Ye-e-es," There was a definite tone of rising concern in Guillaume's voice.  
" Well…" Aradia found her mouth increasingly dry. " Mithras has just told us a couple of things which…well…relate to that…"  
" And what things are they, Aradia?" Guillaume asked firmly.  
" Jo was right, for one thing, Julia was my sister…and so the rightful heir to Vaniria…"  
" That's great," Guillaume didn't smile. " What's that got to do with Jo being taken by Obsequious though…?"  
" Well, Julia escaped from Aesina when it was attacked by…going through a Gyratory, only it didn't completely work and part of her was kept inside the Gyratory waiting for someone else to come through who was like Julia…"  
Realisation started to filter onto Guillaume's face.  
" And that someone was Jo…?" He asked tentatively.  
" Apparently…" Aradia wiped at her cheeks, suddenly aware there were tears there.  
" So, what you're telling me is not only has Obsequious taken away my fiancée, but to make matters worse, she's actually the rightful heir to the throne of Vaniria…?"  
" Yes."  
" Oh well that's just fan-bloody-tastic isn't it?" Guillaume exclaimed.  
" It does mean though that he'll be taking care of her," Aradia urged, trying to convince herself as much as Guillaume.  
" So she's a bargaining piece now…" Guillaume said darkly, looking at the castle with renewed hatred.  
" Kind of, but…not really…" Aradia admitted. " It's a little more complicated than that…"  
Guillaume looked up at her, one dark eyebrow raised suspiciously once more.  
" Explain, because I don't see how this can get any more complicated!"  
" Well, Mithras will be able to explain it better but, basically, Obsequious wanted Jo because he wants to rule Vaniria and one way of achieving a legitimate claim to the throne, one which wouldn't be overthrown by the reformation of the crystal would be to…"  
" Marry the heir…" Guillaume's face became horrified.  
" But we won't let him…and I shouldn't imagine Jo will either," Aradia tried to smile but it was lost on Guillaume.  
" If he lays so much as a finger on her, I'll kill him…and I'll do it so slowly and painfully…" Guillaume's tone was threatening, but his voice was faltering.  
" We _will_ get her back…" Aradia murmured, sitting down beside him. Her voice unusually quiet and her eyes, Guillaume noticed as he turned to glance at her, were red from crying herself. " You _do_ know that, don't you…?"  
" I know…" Guillaume replied, putting a comforting arm around the princess' shoulders as he tried to ignore the pain deep within him. Reasoning that he had almost lost her so many times and she had always come back. But the cold fear of doubt kept creeping into the back of his mind and arguing that perhaps, for once, she may have gone to a place from which there would be no escape this time.  
The pair of them sat in silence staring at the castle, both surrounded by their own cocoon of emotions and neither one knowing how to make it all go away.

In the tower Jo wasn't faring much better.  
She _had_ managed to score a minor victory in that her guards had survived her singing "The Court of King Caratacus" song for only two renditions before they decided to guard her from outside the room, and on the other side of the huge, thick oaken door which, conveniently enough, blocked out the song.  
It had been not long after she had sung the immortal line, " So if you want to take some pictures of the fascinating witches who put the scintillating stitches in the breeches of the boys who put the powder on the noses on the faces of the ladies of the harem of the court of King Caratacus you're too late, because they've just…passed…by!" for the second time that they had beat a speedy retreat and left her alone to try and figure a way out of this madness she had gotten herself into.  
But all she could think about was what she had just been told by Obsequious. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't.  
She would have known, something as important and deep rooted as this she surely would have known. And besides, Mithras would have told her. Or even Aradia herself. Unless they hadn't know either…  
Jo shoved her hands into her pockets and wandered over to the window. Below her, the ground was covered in tents and milling between them were hundreds of ant like soldiers. She grinned to herself,  
" Where's Rapunzel when you need her, eh?"  
With a heavy sigh Jo let her eyes roam over the enemy camp towards the river and to the small camp on the other side. Her camp. Her friends. Everything she had left behind. The pain in her heart returned with a vengeance and made her tear her eyes away from the agonizing sight. Leaning back against the bricks around the glass less window arch as the tears returned to her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.  
She pulled her hand out of her tunic pocket to wipe her eyes on her sleeve when something caught her eye. Caught on the corner of her sleeve was a piece of forest green ribbon. It was the ribbon Aradia had worn in her hair the night of the ball and the same piece of ribbon Phillipe had used to hold his steel coloured ponytail in place until the night he had…  
Jo carefully took the material in her fingers and looked at it. This, if everything she had been told was true, belonged to her sister…  
" My sister…"  
How strange the words sounded coming from her mouth. With a faint smile she carefully tied the ribbon around her wrist, knotting it tightly.  
" I'll make sure I give this back…" She said to no one. Hoping it was a promise she'd be able to keep…

Aradia and Guillaume sat side by side, watching the black castle. Both of them filled with the feeling of loss, and neither one knowing what to do next…  
" I've been living to see you. Dying to see you, but it shouldn't be like this. This was unexpected, what do I do now? Could we start again please?" Aradia sang quietly to herself, to a half remembered tune from one of the stories she had been told of Jo's adventures before arriving in Vaniria.

" I've been very hopeful, so far. Now for the first time, I think we're going wrong. Hurry up and tell me, this is just a dream. Oh could we start again please?" Jo sang to herself, turning back over to the window and looking out towards where she had left her friends behind.

" I think you've made your point now. You've even gone a bit too far to get the message home. Before it gets too frightening, we ought to call a halt, so could we start again please?" Guillaume continued, his mind filled with the images of the last time he had sung the same words.

" I've been living to see you. Dying to see you, but it shouldn't be like this. This was unexpected, what do I do now? Could we start again please?" Jo looked down at the green ribbon around her wrist and ached inside. There were so many things she wanted to say to Aradia, ask her…things she now regretted doing. Would she have a chance to before it was too late?

" I think you've made your point now. You've even gone a bit too far to get the message home. Before it gets too frightening, we ought to call a halt, So could we start again please?" Guillaume and Aradia sang together.

" Could we start again please?" Jo sang in the loneliness of the tower room, wandering back to sit on her bed. Sliding back to rest against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest. Hoping with all her heart that she would get at least one more chance to tell those she cared for the most, just how much they meant to her.

" Could we start again please?" Aradia sang, closing her eyes and making a silent oath to herself that she would never ever be rude or obnoxious to anyone ever again, regardless of their station in life, if only she could see Jo again. Her _sister_.  
" Could we start again please?" Guillaume sang, closing his eyes and seeing a thousand different images of his Jo in his mind. Swearing to each one it would not be the last time he would see her. He had nearly lost her so many times. He simply couldn't lose her now. Not after all they'd been through. He just _couldn't_.

" Could we start…again…?" Their words carried on the evening breeze, a question that only time would be able to answer.

" Julius Caesar!" Rosie suddenly exclaimed, her dark eyes wide.  
" You what?" The others looked completely mystified.  
" Remember what Jo said about Julius getting stabbed in the back and how Julia came from Julius…" Rosie's eyes flitted around the concerned faces surrounding her. " That's what Aitor…I mean Dedra did…!"  
They had all amassed in the largest of their tents to try and figure out what their next move should be. They had cooked some of the fresh meats that the Meanders had brought with them but, as the full plates testified, no one had much of an appetite that evening.  
" Oh great," murmured Lucy.  
" What about all those things Alvejan told Jo, back in the Blue Woods…" Jenny added hesitantly.  
" Didn't he say something about friend's disappointing…well that's Dedra all over, isn't it!" Marius exclaimed with uncharacteristic venom.  
" He also spoke about events happening which would be beyond Jo's control, and all this Princess stuff certainly is. You can't help who you are…" Mark said thoughtfully.  
" So, what do we do now…?" Rosie asked the large group before her.  
" Well, I reckon we storm the castle and get Jo out, but maybe that's just me…" Jerest's blue eyes twinkled.  
" Any idea when we might see some more Meanders…?" Lina asked openly. " I mean, I'm all for the castle storming myself," She grinned, twirling her dagger through her fingers without thinking. " But I think we could do with just a few more people on our side, to even the odds a little bit…"  
" Any time…" Jerest replied. " Some are already on their way, we just rushed a bit to get here first," He laughed slightly. " But there'll definitely be more here by morning…couldn't tell you how many…but there will be more…"  
" That settles it then," Guillaume stood up and looked over the faces before him, determination written all over his face. " We attack at dawn!"

The next morning Jerest had been proven right. A couple of hundred Meanders had drifted into their camp over the course of the night, with word of hundreds more, drifting across the countryside to meet them on their way to Vaniria.  
The small army stood at the river waiting as the sun rose before them.

Guillaume and Aradia were at the very front, stood looking out towards the castle.  
It was clear that Obsequious' army had been given similar instructions to their own as the number of tents between the friends and the castle was greatly reduced. Just as their own camp was now pretty non-existent. All their tents had been taken down and packed away, along with their provisions. They just hoped they weren't too late and Obsequious and his army were still in the castle.  
Then, as the first rays of sunlight came over the horizon, Guillaume let out a bellowing cry of "Charge!" before running out over the bridge, sword in hand, followed by everyone else.  
They got quite far before they met the first of the soldiers who were waiting for them. Then the fighting began. Swords flashed in the early morning sunlight and the sound of arrows zipping through the air could be heard in amongst the clashing of metal against metal.  
Slowly but surely the friends made more and more ground, getting ever closer to the castle. Soon they were at the outer walls of the castle and the dark soldiers here were fewer.  
Amos struck out and his sword pierced the stomach of a soldier. He let out a cry that froze Amos' blood before pulling off his helmet to reveal a boy not much older than Amos himself. He staggered back, clutching at his wound before finally loosing his footing and falling to the ground, and not moving.  
Amos collapsed onto a nearby wall. He was sat very still, shaking almost constantly and was so pale that his blood shot eyes seemed even more vivid. Martin sat beside him and tentatively squeezed his shoulder making the younger man jump considerably.  
" You alright?" Martin frowned slightly.  
" Uh…uh huh," Amos nodded vigorously.  
" You sure…?" Martin looked out over the scene before him as Amos swallowed a few times.  
" It's just…I've never…" A trembling became more evident in Amos' voice.  
" I know…" Martin squeezed his shoulder again, trying himself to block out the vision of the young soldier he himself had run through. " I know…"  
" He wasn't more than a boy, not much older then me…than either of us…"  
" It's not going to be something any of us will forget lightly…" Martin's dark eyes looked solemnly at Amos' face. " But if we are to continue…we must…"  
The young American gave him a brave smile and clutched his sword tighter in his hand.  
" I know…it's what makes us human after all, it wouldn't be right if we didn't feel anything, would it…?" Amos stood up and took a steadying breath. " Come on…don't want to get left behind…"  
The two of them ran over the drawbridge after their friends and into the castle.  
They followed the tapestries on the walls, using the logic that such decoration probably led to a great hall, rather than the dungeons. Then they stopped.  
They stood before two large, black doors. Carved with gothic patterns and with large, highly ornate, silver door-handles.  
" This is it…" Guillaume's voice was barely above an angry whisper. " Who knows what may lay in store for us beyond this door…but if we stand together, nothing can defeat us!" The others smiled grimly, as the Meanders amassed behind them. " Come on…let's get Jo back!" With that Guillaume let out a cry and charged through the doors followed by the rest of the friends and the Meanders. They travelled a few feet before coming to an abrupt halt.  
" What the…?" Rosie's eyes were wide with confusion.  
" I don't …I just don't _believe_ it…!" Lina stammered.  
" What the _hell_ do we do now?"

**"Could We Start Again Please" from 'Jesus Christ Superstar',  
Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice**


	57. PART 93

The room, apart from the friends and the couple of hundred or so Meanders stood behind them, was completely empty.  
" Jo?" Guillaume shouted, taking a nervous step forwards, his dark eyes scanning the room.  
" Hello? Anyone here…?" Rosie called out, taking Guillaume's lead and starting to move forwards to look around the room.  
" As if anyone's _actually_ going to answer to that if they're here!" snorted Jenny, with a very definite smirk.  
" You never know," Rosie retorted with a flick of her hair.  
" But…where'd they go…?" Simon murmured, wandering along the far wall.  
" Everyone have a good look around," Aradia said firmly. " They can't have gone that long ago...and I _refuse_ to believe they weren't in so much of a hurry that they won't have forgotten something…"  
There was a slight hesitation before the others nodded and, along with the Meanders, began to search the large room more thoroughly. Everyone except Mithras, who remained stood by Aradia's side. She glanced at him and frowned slightly when she spotted the small smile on his face.  
" What…?" She demanded although her voice was no where near as forceful as she had intended it to be.  
" Nothing," Mithras admitted, his smile growing, " You just…you just reminded me of Jo just then…"  
It was Aradia's turn to smile. She reached out and squeezed his shoulder gently.  
" Thanks, Mithras."  
" No problem, your highness, no problem at all."  
The group looked over every inch of the hall, checking behind tapestries and curtains. Guillaume even tipped up the throne at the end of the room. Although, if he was honest, he had done it mainly out of a desire to break something, as opposed to doing it in order to help the search. Jo wasn't there, and the longer they spent looking around the room, the further away she was getting. The resounding crash as the large black chair hit the stone floor, causing many in the room to jump, did a little to quell his anxiety.  
" Hey…I think I've found something!" Mithras suddenly exclaimed. He was knelt on one knee, his gaze fixed on the floor.  
" What? What is it?" Aradia demanded hotly upon reaching his side.  
" Look at that…!" Mithras said eagerly, pointing to a mark on the floor close to his foot.  
" Wait a minute…doesn't that look like one of the étoiles…?" Jenny frowned slightly, as she leant down, gazing at where Mithras was indicating.  
" It does a bit yeah…but what would an étoile be doing here…?" Mark agreed.  
" It's been scratched with something," Glyndwr ran his finger along the lines on the floor before them. " But who by…and why?"  
" You don't think…" Marius' voice trailed off as the others cottoned on to what he had realised.  
" Jo!" Jenny cried out lightly.  
" Look, there's another one! She's left us clues, she's showing us the way to go…" Lucy added, jumping up and dashing across the floor having spotted another star that had been scratched into the stone next to the doorway.  
" Right, if they've left here then there can only be only place they'll be heading…Vaniria," Mithras explained. " They have a slight head start, nothing too serious…but we need to get some more back up…" He gave the Meanders a thankful smile. " Not that you haven't been fantastic so far, but if we're going to overcome an entire army of guards at Vaniria then we're going to need more people."  
" We can send for more Meanders and they'll either meet us on the way or at Vaniria," Jerest said quite confidently.  
" And if we can try to travel near Vivons then we can get the word out among the people that the time has come to fight…" added Aradia.  
" I'll send word to Crystallia too, once we're a little closer," Lina stretched her wings in anticipation. Her shoulder was now almost completely healed and just the idea of being able to fly again sent tingles of excitement running all over her body.  
" How long before they reach Vaniria…?" Guillaume asked quietly.  
" Well, it took Dedra just over three days to get me here but he didn't have an army with him that time…so, with the inevitable rest stops and so on, I'd say at least a week…" Mithras replied after a moment's thought.  
" A week," Guillaume repeated. " And you can be sure nothing's going to happen to Jo before we get there…?" There was fear in his voice now.  
" Obsequious will do nothing until he gets to Vaniria, I promise Guillaume…besides, you know Jo, she'll probably have defeated the army and retaken the city single handed by the time we get there!" Mithras laughed.

Several days later, out on the plains to the West of the Swamplands, there couldn't have been anything further from Jo's mind than planning and executing an insurrection. The journey itself wasn't too hard. Jo reasoned with herself that she had made the same one only recently and so doing it again shouldn't be too much of a strain. However, unlike the previous time, she had no friends to help boost her spirits and morale, there was no purpose in this trip and so no drive, no goal for her at the end of it. She had no clear idea what lay ahead for her. All she knew for sure, and even that was only pieced together from overheard conversations between her captors and Obsequious, was that she was being taken back to Vaniria. The reason evaded her and she dreaded to think what it might be. By far though, the hardest part of the journey was that she had little or no rest. Since their rapid departure from Obsequious' castle she hadn't stopped. She was kept moving night and day, her hands bound before her and that rope then tied to either Obsequious' horse or that of another of his men and so she could not stop walking even if she wanted to. She had tried a couple of times as they left the swamplands, a vain attempt to slow them down, hoping that her friends who been close enough behind them to rescue her. She had stopped dead in her tracks only to be dragged forwards, either on her knees or even, on occasion, on her front until she struggled back up onto her feet and continued. These tumbles and falls she could feel had resulted in cuts and scrapes on her body and face, which were added to by the occasional slap or hit from a soldier or other when they didn't appreciate one of her comments, but she did not show her pain. She would not give her captors the satisfaction of seeing her cry. If she was who Obsequious had said she was, then such behaviour should be below her anyway.  
The only respite she received was when her 'guide rope' changed hands. In those all too brief moments she would fall to her knees, trying to ignore the aching, burning sensation in her legs, back and arms, the throbbing in her head and the constant thirst she seemed to have developed. At night she looked skyward, seeking out 'L'Étoiles', her only guide in the night and a great source of hope. By day she focused her eyes not on the path ahead or on whoever held her bonds but on the ring on her left hand. The ring Guillaume had given her mere days before it had all gone wrong. She would also take such opportunities to etch a star, into the ground or into the bark of a tree or scratch it onto a stone. A sign that she prayed her friends would see. Somehow, somewhere deep inside she just _knew_ they were following her. Yes, she hurt and yes, she was tired and even more afraid than she had felt in a long time but just the hope that she was being followed by those she loved so dearly was enough to keep her going.  
She thought a lot as she trudged ever onwards, recalling the fantastic adventures she and her friends had undertaken thus far. Smiling wryly at the good memories, sighing at the more tragic ones. She missed Phillipe more than she knew how to express and yet she could almost sense his being with her, especially when the stars shone brightly above. She could almost feel him watching over her as he had once done on the streets of Paris…it all seemed so long ago…  
The next thing Jo knew she had walked straight into something and fallen to the ground. Cursing she sat up and glared. The soldiers and the rest of the procession had stopped and had apparently done so silently. Either that or she had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she simply hadn't noticed. Regardless, she had walked straight into the back of the horse that had been leading her.  
" Easy there Princess!" Jeered a soldier who hauled her to her feet.  
" Looks like someone's eager to get home!" Smirked another. Jo shook herself free and stumbled away for a few paces, biting her tongue against a retort. Not only did she not doubt for a second that a comment would end result in a slap, adding to the pain she already felt, but an argument or a fight would no doubt be strenuous and she needed to save all the energy she could.  
" We'll stop here for the night," Dedra's voice called back through the air.  
" Stop?" Jo murmured as the sound of soldiers dismounting and packs hitting the ground filled the air.  
" Come on you," A voice called as the rope was pulled sharply, dragging her forwards. The soldier pulled Jo over to a nearby tree, tossing the rope up and tying it to one of the lower branches. " Don't want you running off now do we?" He smirked, quickly stroking her cheek before heading back to the other soldiers. Jo sank down onto the ground and leant back against the tree trunk with a heavy sigh. She stretched her legs out before her with a slight groan. The sun was slowly setting in the West and somewhere on that horizon was Vaniria.  
" So, how are we doing your highness?" A voice chuckled from somewhere close-by. Jo turned her head and jumped slightly to see Obsequious squatting right by her. " You look tired my dear…" He reached out to touch her face but Jo jerked her head back and out of his immediate reach.  
" I'm not tired and I'm _not_ your dear!" She spat quietly, being careful to avoid his piercing black gaze.  
" No, of course you're not," Obsequious' tone was irritatingly smug as he turned her face to look at his, running a finger across her lips as he did so.  
" Leave me alone," Jo said as calmly as she could manage, trying to ignore the overwhelming urge to head butt him that was building inside her.  
" As you wish, _highness_," Obsequious smirked, standing and running the same finger across his own lips. Jo fought against the need to retch as he smiled down at her, " If you would only give in this childish attitude of independence I could make this all so much easier for you. There are many spare horses, you could easily save your legs if you'd only be nice to me…"  
" Save my legs by giving up my self respect? Doesn't sound like much of a bargain to me," Jo retorted. " My legs will recover eventually, no matter how far you make me walk…my self respect once gone, however, will be gone forever…so no thanks…keep your horses to yourself."  
Obsequious looked her over once more in slight confusion but definite amusement before turning and slinking away.  
" Bastard…!" She muttered closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the tree.  
As painful and degrading as the walk and her treatment had been, what Jo couldn't stand and what worried her the most was Obsequious and the fear of what his plans for Vaniria and her might be. Every time she could feel his cold, soulless eyes looking at her, her skin broke out into gooseflesh and it was almost as if a cold wind had started to blow around her. Jo shuddered and tried to put his eyes and pale smirking face out of her mind, instead focusing on Guillaume's deep dark eyes and tanned, smiling face. Just the thought of him made her feel instantly warmer and stronger than before.  
She felt something brush her forehead, wincing slightly as it passed over a cut there.  
" Oww…what the…?" Jo glanced across to see Dedra knelt by her side, one arm outstretched, holding something to her head. For a second or two, she didn't know quite what to do. Time itself appeared to stop in confusion. The discomfort and obvious guilt in his eyes were lost on Jo, all she could see was her own rage steadily building inside her head. The urge to fly at him, hurt him, _curse_ him even, were all bubbling up within her body as the silence continued.  
A couple of times he tried to speak but either no discernable sound came out of his lips or Jo simply didn't hear it. Angry tears were starting to prick the backs of her eyes and she struggled to hold them back. She took several deep breaths and swallowed hard before risking speech herself.  
" What do you want?" Her voice was surprisingly calm and quiet but very serious. Dedra ran a hand through his hair, biting his lower lip slightly.  
" I…well, I…" He stammered.  
" What do you want, _Dedra_?" Jo repeated, this time the mention of his name forced him to look into her eyes. Something he had been avoiding since she'd turned to look at him.  
" Your wounds…" Dedra finally managed to say awkwardly.  
" What about them?" Jo stiffened slightly. A verbal battle she could cope with, another beating she feared would probably finish her off. Her jaw tightened slightly while Dedra frowned a little.  
" I've come to clean them…" He said simply after realising why fear had suddenly jumped to replace the anger shining in her eyes.  
" Oh…" Jo sighed with audible relief, suddenly spotting the small bowl of water beside him, along with the bandages laying alongside it and the damp clean cloth in his hand.  
" As you did for me once," There was a very faint and very brief sparkle in his pale eyes.  
Jo merely nodded and leant back against the tree trunk, as much as she wanted to, she was too tired to argue with him.  
Dedra hesitated for a moment or two before, very tentatively, reaching out with the cloth once more to start to clean the cuts and marks on her face. Jo frowned and hissed through her teeth as he dabbed firmly at the cut across the side of her forehead. He yanked his hand away quickly.  
" Sorry! Are you alright? I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…"  
" It's fine," Jo said flatly through gritted teeth, " Just…just be a little more careful…alright?"  
" I'm sorry," Dedra repeated quietly as he carefully started to clean the cut again.  
Jo sat as still as she could while Dedra gently cleaned her wounds, trying not to flinch too much every time she felt his skin touch hers.  
" Are you hungry, your-?" Dedra stopped himself from continuing with her title as he tied a small bandage around her upper arm, covering a gash she'd sustained through one of her 'tumbles'. Jo frowned slightly, realising his intended comment and thought for a moment before nodding. She was unsure as to why she was refraining from speaking to him. She didn't care whether all that left her lips were insults and words of hatred. He was hardly her best friend, by any stretch of the imagination. She should despise him for what he had done to her and her friends. But he was helping her and for that she was thankful. For that, she could not help but feel her anger towards him ebb slightly.  
" I'll go and find you some food," Dedra gave her a strange kind of half smile before standing and wandering back over to the other men. Jo sighed softly and closed her eyes. If nothing else, her skin no longer stung, nor did it feel tight with dried dirt and blood.  
She yawned.  
Obsequious and Dedra had told the men they would stay here for the night. A whole night's rest was something Jo hadn't experienced in a long while, even before her capture her sleep had hardly been prolonged or exactly restful. With another yawn, Jo settled back against the tree trunk.  
" It's not much, just some bread and cheese, but…" Dedra started as he came back but he stopped talking as soon as he saw her.  
Jo was fast asleep, her head tipped slightly to the side and the faintest of smiles on her lips. Dedra crept closer and carefully put the food near to her, so that she could get to it when she awoke.  
For a minute or two he just looked at her. His heart torn between two extremes. Despair and elation.  
" Can it…can it _really_ be you…?" He murmured to himself. Had Obsequious been speaking the truth. Was this the princess from his childhood? The girl whose face he had longed to see for so long. The pure joy at possibly having her back in his life again was tempered by the despair at what he had done. The guilt over Phillipe's death was beginning to overwhelm him but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt at seeing her as she was. Cut and bruised, tired and bound. He could have prevented this. He could have prevented _all_ of this if he'd only had the courage to tell her sooner. " I'm so sorry…" He mumbled sadly.  
" Oi! Oi Dedra!" Somebody calling his name brought him crashing back out of his thoughts. " Obsequious wants to see you!" A solider was calling through the increasing darkness.  
" Tell him I'm coming," Dedra called back after a moment of thought. He glanced back at Jo. " Don't worry, I'll make it up to you." He whispered as he got to his feet. He headed back towards the other men, stealing one final glance at her before heading into Obsequious' tent and whispering. "I swear I will, if it costs me my life, I swear that one day you'll forgive me."  
The following morning seemed to come all too quickly for Jo. The early morning light creeping over the distant horizon awoke her long before her captors. She watched the sunrise, trying to soak up its warmth and enjoy its serenity before such things were snatched away from her again. She also took the opportunity to leave another mark for her friends to follow. The tree truck was too hard to scratch anything into, as her dagger and sword had been taken away long ago, so she carefully took her seal from inside her tunic and half hid it under a tree root, along with the last of her tiger's eye beads. To watch over it, she smiled to herself.  
She was just stretching out the cramp that had suddenly tried to take over her left calf when the first sounds of Obsequious' army being awake came along on the breeze. Consisting mainly of grunts and groans and the odd expletive as somewhere a trumpet or horn was blown with excessive force to rouse the soldiers from their sleep.  
Shortly afterwards, the tents had been packed away and the horses re-saddled and the carts filled with packs, Jo was then hauled to her feet and dragged over to a horse. She lifted her bound wrists up out of habit to make the task of tying them to the saddle slightly easier on herself but, to her great surprise she was lifted up and onto the saddle. Confusion apparent on her face, she glanced around for some kind of explanation. Dedra trotted over on a horse of his own.  
" My lord thinks you may be getting too tired, so you may ride this horse until we stop at midday," Dedra explained, " After that, you'll be back on your own two feet…"  
" But I…" Jo frowned. This didn't sound right, whichever way she thought it out. Then she spotted that glimmer in Dedra's eyes, the one she had seen back in the Black Castle. This horse hadn't come from Obsequious, it had come from _him_, from Dedra. He was trying to help her. But why…? " In that case, tell your _lord_ that I thank him, but if he expects something in return for this surprising generosity, he'll be disappointed…"  
" Oh no, he expects nothing in return, except perhaps the pleasure of seeing you smile this morning…" Dedra said as emotionlessly as he could, as if the wishes were his master's and not his own.  
" Very well, thank you," She smiled as warmly as she dared before looking away.  
But that small smile had been enough. Dedra felt like shouting for joy. He knew she didn't completely hate him. Maybe it _wasn't_ too late after all. Maybe he could still make a difference. She hadn't forgiven him, he knew it would take more than a horse ride to do that. But that smile was a huge step in the right direction.  
With a fairly definite grin on his face, Dedra whistled for the army to move on and they started again, drawing ever closer to Vaniria.


	58. PART 94

Fortunately, Obsequious and his army hadn't taken _everything_ with them when they left the Black Castle. The band of friends scoured the building and those within the castle walls and found a stable with thirty or so horses inside, and in an adjoining room all the tack they could possibly need. Jerest selected several of his most trusted Meanders and they each took a horse and went South and West, each carrying one of the friend's seals and a short proclamation, written by Aradia, urging the people to join them at Vaniria, to join the fight for their own freedom. Each of the friends, along with Jerest and Mithras, had then mounted a horse and began their own journey back to Vaniria, leading their own army of Meaders behind them.  
Guillaume and Glyndwr rode slightly ahead of the others. Glyndwr using his sharp eyesight to try and spot any more of Jo's guiding stars, on the ground or on stones. Guillaume rode with him largely as a result of his own desperation to reach Vaniria and rescue Jo, _his_ Jo. He consistently rode on ahead, much faster than their fairly large army could travel and so had to keep waiting as patiently as he could for them to catch him up again. Before doing it again. And again.  
The Swamplands were not far behind them when the next band of Jerest's promised Meander supporters joined their ranks. Another hundred or so, who had travelled from the south, near the desert, filed in to join the already two hundred strong army walking behind the mounted friends. The sight of so many people, all of whom were there to back them up, did much to bolster the courage of the friends. Up until they entered the Swamplands, their journey hadn't really been too hard. True it had had it's moments, usually when retrieving a crystal was involved, but it had been a journey. Only now, with the sound of hundreds of swords clinking in their scabbards and the voices of hundreds of men whispering to each other in the air around, did it feel like something else. It felt like a _quest_.  
In their search of the Black castle, the friends had also found a few wagons, presumably left behind because of broken axels on two of them, and a broken wheel on the third. However, the Meanders soon had them fixed and the friends had piled them high with practically everything edible they had managed to find. Food and barrels of wine, water and ale were stacked on top of each other. As well as raiding what was left of the weaponry. Crossbows, armour, shields and swords loaded one. With all this behind them, they felt like a _proper_ army. Going to a _proper_ battle with a very real and very scary enemy.  
The friends took it in shifts to ride along at various points of their convoy. Some of them at the head of the group, some at the middle and more at the end. Keeping an eye open for potential allies as well as, and perhaps slightly more importantly for, potential enemies. The first of these they encountered around midday.  
A small band of twenty or so dark soldiers appeared, apparently out of no where, their entrance hailed by a short flurry of arrows. Which is also how they departed. Thanks to some very quick Meanders who had nocked and loosed several arrows each within seconds of the arrows of their enemy landing at their feet, and firing them with considerably more accuracy than those fired at them had been. It was all over almost as soon as it had started and there were no major injuries. Not among the Meanders and friends at any rate. A few Meanders had caught arrows in their shoulders and one had the misfortune to have one land in his calf. These were all very quickly removed, the wounds cleaned and dressed by Mithras very effectively. And so they carried on. Eyes even more alert than they had been before. After all, it was unlikely that Obsequious would have left behind only one group to try and stop them. And over the next couple of days, it was clear he hadn't. Three more surprise bands tried to attack them and three times they were frightened off by the Meanders.

Three days after leaving the Swamplands, they saw a village on the horizon and smiles covered the faces of the friends. It was Vivons.  
They were soon galloping towards it, laughing and whooping at the sight of something familiar and friendly.  
But they halted almost as soon as they were inside the village. The village green was covered with people. All of whom looked scared out of their wits, surrounded by various belongings. They were more 'refugees', from the countryside and the cities that had been burnt and sacked by Obsequious and his army since they had left the village.  
Several of them looked up as the friends rode into the square, confusion on their faces quickly changing to recognition and hope.  
A voice rang out,  
" It's _them_! It's the 'Strangers'!"  
Then a strange kind of panic broke out.  
The people leapt to their feet and surged to surround the friends within moments. All shouting their support and asking what was happening, where they were going next…when they could all go home…  
None of the friends had ever experienced anything like it. The air was full of emotions, positive and negative. It was all some of them could do not to cry.  
For the first time since they had left Vaniria, they realised just how important what they had been doing was to these people. All their hopes and dreams, even their lives, were depending on the friends and what they managed to do over the next few days.  
Aradia stood up in her saddle and raised an arm in the air, calling for silence. It came quickly. An expectant hush fell over the crowd, their faces eagerly awaiting whatever it was the princess was going to say.  
" My people, my friends…" Aradia began. " I know you all have many things to ask us and all your questions will be answered…but not today…" She licked her lips nervously and her eyes moved over the faces around her. " We all appreciate the sacrifices you have made and believe me we have made many of our own on the journey so far…but the real quest is only just beginning, and it is our turn to now ask for your help…"  
" Anything for you, your majesty!" A powerful voice yelled, bringing in it's wake a round of applause and cheering.  
Aradia smiled and motioned with her arms for quiet again before continuing.  
" We are heading back to Vaniria, where Obsequious is…" An angry hiss ran through the people at the mention of his name. " Where he has one of our friends…" The crowd was silent once more.  
" Who…who has he taken…?" A nervous voice asked.  
Aradia paused.  
" Jo…Jo is being held in Vaniria by Obsequious…"  
There was a roar of fury from the crowd.  
" We are travelling there now to free her…"  
" And you shall not travel alone!" Another voice cried out earnestly as Aradia tried to continue. " I shall go with you…!"  
" And I!"  
" So shall we…!"  
Within seconds every voice in the village had voiced a desire to accompany the friends and their army of Meanders to Vaniria. Their angry shouts and nervous faces transformed to ones of courage and support.  
The friends all waved to the crowds before dismounting and heading towards the tavern. All receiving copious pats on the back and kisses to their cheeks from the people.  
" 'L'Asile D'Étudiants', a haven indeed!" grinned Mark with relief as they passed through the doorway under the faded sign, one of the village's larger men standing in the doorway after them acting as a kind of doorman to prevent the rest of the village following them inside. It seemed they would have some peace for a little while at least.  
Within minutes Pierre had embraced every one of them and each of them had a drink in his or her hand. The friends took the opportunity to sit down in relative peace and quiet and sat at the tables just talking quietly, or in some cases not even speaking, enjoying the sensation of being sat on something that didn't make them feel saddle sore.  
Aradia alone stayed by the bar, waiting until Pierre appeared before her and asked her how he could help.

_knew_, didn't you? You knew who she really was…?"  
Pierre looked at her, his old face gentle and expression kind.  
" At first it was just a feeling, your highness, the kind you get when you meet someone that you're sure you've met before somewhere but that you can't quite put your finger on…" Pierre smiled. " But then she smiled, and she laughed, and I heard her speaking in a way that I remembered from long ago…and, I just knew…"  
Aradia sat down on the wooden bench, remembering how she and Jo had sat here side by side not so long ago. She shook her head slowly as if she was trying to clear it.  
" Why, why didn't you say something…?" The princess' was not a harsh question. Merely her heart speaking aloud, questioning both herself and the old man now sat in front of her.  
" If you'll recall, your majesty, I did say _something_…" His pale blue eyes shone as Aradia thought back to that night.  
_Pierre had eyed their cloaks with interest and then he had shifted his gaze to Jo's face and frowned slightly. " Have we met before young lady…?" he'd asked…_  
" Hardly an out and out recognition as you might call it," Pierre planted his hands on his generous waist and grinned. " But I took it that she didn't know herself…so it certainly wasn't my place to be telling her…" His face softened and he reached out to tap the back of her hand gently. "…or your good self…"  
" No, no you did the right thing," Aradia smiled back, she couldn't feel any anger towards this man. But her mind kept going back to something else that had happened that night.  
_" No need to look so shocked my dear," Pierre had reached out and closed her mouth gently, after it had hung open in amazement at recognising her. " I knew you as a child, I used to run the tavern in the old square…" He'd explained.  
" 'The Sword and Stone'?" She and Jo had exclaimed in unison before throwing each other a confused glance.  
_Why hadn't she realised something then? Why had she let it slip by without comment…and not just on that occasion. Even at the start of their quest there had been signs, if she'd only been looking for them…  
_" If I fail let it not be the fault of my heart!" _  
They had both sworn to each other, unprompted and in unison. An oath from her childhood, based on the motto of her kingdom.  
_" Oh well…" Jo had grinned again as they'd hurried to catch up with the others. " No doubt it'll make sense at some point!"_  
" Well, you were right about that!" Aradia muttered to herself with a wry grin. " A lot of things are finally starting to make sense…"  
" Sorry…?" Pierre's face was a picture of nervous confusion.  
" Don't worry Pierre…" Aradia sighed, rolling her eyes. " It wasn't about you!"  
Pierre smiled, almost as if I say 'I didn't expect that it would have been', before depositing a large glass of wine in front of Aradia and heading back behind the bar.  
Near the fire, Guillaume was sat nursing a tankard of ale he had barely touched since being handed it by Pierre almost an hour earlier. All he could see in his mind was Jo. Everywhere he looked he could see her. When they had first entered the tavern his eyes had fallen upon the bar from which Jo herself had fallen, into his arms after a glass, or three, too many of ale. And then he had carried her upstairs where he had put her to bed. Where they had then almost…  
" Mind if I join you…?" A voice broke through his thoughts.  
He looked up and was mildly surprised to see Mithras. He shrugged with a vague smile and shifted up the bench slightly, allowing Mithras to join him.  
Nothing more was said for the next few minutes. Guillaume ran a finger up and down the side of his tankard, his eyes fixed on the fireplace, while Mithras turned his own tankard around and around slowly in his hands, watching the ale inside moving like a miniature ocean, it's waves lapping at the sides of the tankard.  
" You want to know why I never said anything to you, or Jo…about the truth, I mean," Mithras eventually said with a sigh.  
Guillaume turned to look at the tutor, dark eyebrows arched questioningly.  
" How did…?" Guillaume sipped at his ale. " I mean, yes, I do…but I didn't mean to accuse you of anything…" He laughed slightly. " I mean, I never even asked you…"  
" You didn't have to," Mithras lifted his pale grey eyes to look into the dark brown ones before him. " Your eyes have been saying more than enough for you since I told you all the truth…"  
Guillaume blinked before self consciously lowering his eyes.  
" I'm sorry…I guess your heart is one voice than can never be silenced…"  
" Nor should it be," Mithras replied gently. " You have every right to demand an explanation and you deserve it! Only…I'm not entirely sure I can give it to you…"  
" It can't have been easy to keep something like this to yourself…" Guillaume empathised. " It was obvious from Aradia's reaction that she didn't know either, to have grown up along side her and not been able to tell her something like that…" The Artigatian sighed heavily. " I don't think I could have done it…"  
" I almost _did_ tell her…so many times," Mithras admitted, leaning back against the wall, his eyes looking up at the ceiling and beams above them. " But I knew that to tell her could be a thousand times worse than not telling her…"  
" You mean she could have been made to tell someone about it," asked Guillaume.  
" Yes, but there was more to it than that," Mithras replied after a moment of thought. " She had to come on this quest because she wanted to…she had to learn more about who she really was inside before she could find out about Ju…I mean Jo…you've all been her friends because you wanted to be, naturally at first you were wary of upsetting her because of her royal status…"  
" Jo wasn't!" Guillaume smirked with obvious relish.  
" Exactly!" Mithras grinned. " If Jo _had_ known the truth about her past and her consequent relationship with Aradia then she might not have been…" The tutor struggled to find the right words. Guillaume didn't.  
" As harsh as hell?" Guillaume suggested with a twinkle in his eyes.  
" If you want to word it like that…" Mithras agreed quietly. " But do you understand my point…? Jo, acting as she would with any other person, helped Aradia find the true ruler inside of her. She wasn't given any special treatment, something she must learn to do without when she has a country to run…there are far more important things to worry about than making sure people address you in the correct manner…" Mithras grinned. " You are all now her friends because of _who_ she is, not _what_…and that wouldn't have happened if the truth had been known!"  
There was a slightly uneasy silence.  
" Couldn't you have told _me_ though…?" Guillaume asked cagily, his eyes not quite meeting Mithras'.  
" This was the question I was dreading…" Mithras groaned, leaning forwards now and resting his elbows on his knees. " Yes, I could have done." He sighed. " I know you would never willingly put Jo into a dangerous position and so would never have let such information slip but…" Mithras looked as boldly as he could into the frenchman's eyes. " I had to protect her too! I knew of you, but I didn't _know_ you…I had to be sure that you would stick by Jo through friendship and love, out of a desire to be with her because of your heart not because of a desire for power…"  
" You mean, you would have to know I'd love her even if she wasn't a princess…that I was someone good enough for her…?" Guillaume replied.  
" I know now that you did, and you are…I think part of me even knew it all along, somehow…" Mithras smiled. " But I had to be sure…"  
" I know you did," Guillaume smiled, his entire face softening as cheeky dimples appeared at either side of his mouth. " And I am glad of it…it's good to know I'm not the only one watching out for her!"  
Guillaume put his tankard down on the table and then quickly pulled Mithras into a tight bear hug before releasing the slightly shaky and breathless tutor.  
"Well," Mithras exclaimed, eyes wide as he adjusted his tunic, before taking a gulp of what ale was left in his tankard after much had sloshed over the top when Guillaume had yanked him along the bench. " That went better than I had expected…!"  
The friends headed West from Vivons later that afternoon, with practically all of it's inhabitants having joined their army. Pierre had packed up his own cart with as much food as he could from his cellar, along with several barrels of ale and bottles of brandy and wine and joined the hundreds of Meanders, Vanirians and Aesinians following behind the friends. Men, women and children had packed up their belongings and joined. At first there had been some concern about the women and children accompanying them into what was almost certain battle but as Lina and Aradia had said quite succinctly.  
" It's their homes and freedom we're fighting for too…plus I've not heard any problems with _us_ being here…?"  
To this many of the male friends had coloured and laughed. It was true, half of their original group were women and they had all proven themselves time and again on their journey so far. It seemed that sexism was something that didn't quite apply to quests and battles.  
They travelled onwards for another couple of days. More and more people joining them every day. Word had clearly been spreading as bands of Meanders arrived, bearing the seals they had been sent, accompanied by scores and scores of Aesinians and Vanirians who had come out of hiding to join them. With every person that joined onto their parade passing through the countryside the friends felt bolder and bolder. If things carried on the way they were, they would easily outnumber Obsequious' army even if their skills on the battlefield left a little to be desired, his army wouldn't know that, thus making their success in battle by pure intimidation almost a certainty. All that would then be left would be to get into the castle and some how defeat Obsequious. It sounded easy. Even though they knew that was far from the truth and that the dark lord was bound to have more than one trick up his sleeve in store for them. But out here, in the peaceful countryside, backed up by the best part of a thousand strong army, they all felt pretty confident about what lay ahead.  
Two days later the friends were galloping forward for all they were worth. Glyndwr had spotted something glinting in the late afternoon sunlight, half hidden among the grass near to a tree and had shot off in search of it. The ruts, hoof prints and wheel marks in the ground would suggest that a large army had definitely passed by this way recently.  
" What is it…? What have you found?" Guillaume demanded, leaping off his horse almost before it had stopped moving.  
Glyndwr, who had been on his knees by the tree searching among the grass and dirt, stood up slowly and turned to face the assembled friends.  
He stepped forwards his hands outstretched, obviously wanting to hand it's contents over to someone. Lucy, being the nearest stepped forwards and held out her hands. With the utmost care, Glyndwr carefully passed what he had held to Lucy and she gasped as he withdrew his hands to reveal his find.  
" It's Jo's seal!" Lucy exclaimed before frowning as something fell out of the seal and back to the ground. " And her final tiger's eye bead…" She almost whispered as she picked it up.  
" But does that mean, she no longer has any herself?" Guillaume asked, wide eyed.  
" No, she has no more beads…but the chain itself is an amulet against harm…" Mithras reassured him. " I had a feeling she'd do something similar to what she has done with the beads so I had to guarantee that her generosity and desire to protect those around her didn't jeopardise her own safety…" The Artigatian's face was still visibly troubled. " Don't worry Guillaume, while she wears that chain…she'll be fine…"  
Guillaume took a deep breath before allowing a small smile to cross his mouth.  
" There can't be far to go now…surely she wouldn't have left this if she thought she would have to leave us more clues…" Lucy reasoned, holding the seal gently in her palm.  
" There can only be a day or so between us and Vaniria now," Mithras agreed.  
" Well," Lina spoke once it became clear that everyone else was too wrapped up in their own thoughts to comment. " I think it's time I sent word to Crystallia…"  
" But how…it's so far, even the swiftest rider wouldn't get there for days?" Marius exclaimed.  
" True," Lina pretended to think. " But the swiftest _flyer_ could be there by nightfall…" She tailed off, a long time missed but nevertheless familiar twinkle appearing in her eyes. She twitched her silver-white and blue patterned wings as if to illustrate her idea further.  
" Are you up to it…?" Guillaume asked gently.  
" My wings have been itching to fly for weeks now…I'm not going to be talked out of it," Lina said flatly.  
" I know," Aradia smiled, reaching into her pack for a scroll of parchment. " I know your people look to you for leadership, and rightly so, but please…would you read them this, from me…it probably won't mean anything to them but I'd still like you to…"  
" It will mean much more than you think," Lina smiled back, warmly and encouragingly. " I know my people will do as I ask out of loyalty to me…but I wouldn't ask any of them to fight for another cause if I didn't think their hearts would be in it…this shows that yours is, and I am sure it will ensure that theirs will be too…" Lina tucked the parchment inside her tunic carefully.  
" What about the tiger's eye…?" Lucy asked.  
" Why don't you give it to Adam when you reach Vaniria," Aradia suggested softly. " Jo and he did seem to get on well when they met…and I am sure he'll be one of the first to offer to join you on your return to Vaniria…"  
" Sounds like a good idea to me," Simon smiled.  
" I'm sure it's what Jo would have wanted…" Aradia smiled softly, handing the bead over to Lina, who gently placed it in her pocket.  
" Then that is what I shall do," The winged warrior bowed her head slightly before embracing the princess warmly, kissing her cheek as they parted.  
She hugged each of the other friends in turn, Guillaume especially, whispering to be strong in his ear. With a heavy sigh she then turned to Simon.  
They hugged each other tightly before parting just enough to look into one another's faces.  
" I'll see you in a couple of days time," Lina said, her trembling voice betraying her nerves.  
" And you'll be in my thoughts every second until that moment comes…" Simon said gently, kissing her forehead before wrapping her up in his arms again.  
" Take care of each other…" Lina said to everyone once she and Simon had kissed each other goodbye properly.  
" We will," Glyndwr replied with a grin. " Fly sure and fast…and safely!" He added.  
" As you wish…" Lina smirked before kicking off from the ground and soaring into the air for the first time in weeks. The air felt so good as it blew against her skin, she wheeled in the air above her friends for a moment or two, stretching and warming up her wings, banishing all feelings of stiffness from them. Then she turned into a sharp dive, straight down amongst her friends and soaring up, inches from the ground. Looking back down she saw the dust cloud she had created and laughed. She waved down at them all once more before flapping her silver white wings and flying in the direction of Crystallia.  
" I _hate_ it when she does that," Simon coughed, as the dust settled around them all, his eyes fixed on the shape of Lina against the sky, until she became too faint and too distant and merged in with it.  
" She'll be fine," assured Amos, squeezing his shoulder and prompting him to move to remount his horse.  
" I know she will," Simon said plainly, with a sparkle in his piercing blue eyes. " It's _us_ I'm worried about!"

By nightfall, the twinkling lights on the distant horizon heralded that their destination was not far now. They set up camp just before the crest of a hill, a few miles from the city walls. They would be concealed until their final approach tomorrow. They made small campfires and nearly everyone was inside their tents within an hour or so of their arrival. Nerves were running high and even though they were all 'in bed' early, no one found it easy that night to drift off to sleep; least of the all the friends. They had all come so far and now, everything they had done hung in a strange kind of limbo. While they were missing only one piece of the crystal, unless they managed to rescue Jo and prevent Obsequious' plans of marriage, then their whole quest so far would have been in vain. All their effort and agony would be for nothing. But worst of all, it would mean they had lost their friend, Phillipe, for nothing more than a lost cause. It was these unsettling and upsetting thoughts that kept most of the friends tossing and turning in their blankets until the early hours of the morning, and even then their dreams were filled with worries and nightmares that by time the morning came they were all pale faced, tired and, if possible, more worried than ever.  
The friends awoke at dawn the next morning in an even more silent camp than the one they had gone to sleep in. There was no friendly banter or exchanging of lively stories this breakfast time. Solemn faces were painted everywhere you looked. And the atmosphere was almost as visible as the early morning mist had been before it gradually faded away in the ever increasing sunlight.  
Vaniria seemed even closer this morning, and so too did the feeling of edginess and fear that came from knowing Obsequious was there. With their friend.  
Once they had packed up camp, loaded their wagons and mounted their horses, the sun was steadily rising above them. Soon they would be visible to the sentries Obsequious had no doubt posted on every inch of the city walls.  
And as they rode ever closer, they couldn't help but wonder how Jo was faring inside. What was happening to her, _had_ happened to her since she had been taken from them in Swamps.  
There was something else. Something far more intangible was hanging the air around them. They could all feel it. A feeling, shared by every soul marching towards Vaniria in the early morning sunshine.  
The beginning of the end was upon them…


	59. PART 95

" So…how does it feel to be home…?" Obsequious' voice rang through the Great Hall as he dragged Jo through the large doors. His tone was full of mocking and as he threw her to the floor his eyes glistened madly. " For you are _home_…this is _your_ castle after all…" He laughed as Jo tried to pick herself up from where she had landed but weakness was taking over, causing her to collapse back down onto the marbled floor where just a few weeks before she had danced at a state Ball. The room full of Ball gowns and candle light. Guillaume had looked so handsome, with his newly cut hair and brown eyes sparkling as they'd danced.  
Her reminiscing was cut short viscously as she felt Obsequious' hand in her hair, grabbing and yanking her up onto her knees. He pulled sharply, forcing her to look up into his pale face. Her eyes alive with silent rage, tears of anger building, making them shine. " Oh now Princess…don't cry…" He grinned, roughly wiping them away.  
" Don't call me that…!" Jo tried to shake her head out of his grip but it tightened and she yelped as the pulling on her hair intensified.  
" Calm yourself my dear…"  
" I'm not _your_ dear!" Jo spat.  
" No…" Obsequious' gaze became almost possessive, " …not yet…" He ran his free hand around her upturned face; his skin was like ice to touch and just the feel of it on her skin made Jo feel sick.  
" Don't _touch_ me…" She breathed, turning her face away. But he turned her face back, his hand holding her chin firmly.  
" We shall see…" Obsequious' smile widened and the nauseous feeling in Jo's stomach grew. Lowering his head he quickly kissed her cheek before smiling once again, releasing his grip on her hair and dropping her back onto the floor. " We shall see Princess…" He continued as he walked away from her a little, admiring one of the banners hanging from the hall's high vaulted ceiling.  
Since arriving back in Vaniria in the early hours of the morning Jo had been taken up to what had been her quarters and, with guards outside the door, had been told to change her clothes. All that had been left hanging in her wardrobe was her ball gown from the night of the ball, she had left it when they had started their quest not thinking she would need it on the journey. And so that was all that she had to change into. She had glanced in the mirror, shocked to see how pale she looked, not to mention the various cuts and bruises scattered across her skin. The dress, which had been fitted to her, hung off her now much leaner frame and Susannah, a young girl from Vaniria who had been grabbed and dragged inside to be her 'lady in waiting', had been forced to cut out some lacing from the back to make it lace tighter. Now all that meant was she felt her breathing was shallow and her head felt even lighter than it had done while she had walked back.  
Susannah looked to be about sixteen, not to mention very confused and worried about the whole thing. Like most of the inhabitants of Vaniria she and her family had been kept under a kind of house arrest since the murder of the King and Queen. The last thing she had expected was to be taken into the castle to be the 'lady in waiting' to the future Queen.  
" Don't worry…" Jo had kept smiling at her in the mirror while the young girl had tried to do something with her hair. " It'll all be fine…I'm sure of it…"  
" I know it will, your majesty," She had replied, her voice quiet and nervous, but her eyes sincere. " You've come back to us…I'm sure everything will be alright somehow…  
But before anything else could be said or done, the doors had been flung open and Jo had been brought down to the Great Hall and Susannah taken back outside to be returned to her petrified family.  
" Dedra…" Obsequious signalled for him approach. " Help her majesty to her throne…" Obsequious chuckled as Dedra stooped and caught hold of Jo under her arms and half escorted, half carried her to the raised platform and the throne, sitting her down as gently as he could in one of them. " Here…" Obsequious threw some rope over to him. " Make sure she doesn't fall off it…I would hate my darling _wife-to-be_ to hurt herself so near to the big day and spoil such a lovely dress…" He turned away and continued to survey the grand hall with a self-satisfied laugh. Dedra picked up the rope from where he had dropped it when he had heard what Obsequious had called Jo.  
'_Wife-to-be? God forbid it..._' His mind gasped as he turned to the throne. Shaking, although he wasn't sure whether it from anger at Obsequious' intentions or just from being so close to Jo, he started to tie her to the throne. He looped rope around her arms and legs. As he knelt before her, finishing tying the rope around her leg, he looked up at her.  
" I _am_ sorry…" He whispered and she looked down at him and said nothing. Her green eyes bored into his, her expression just as shocked as his but she was hiding her fears better than he could. " I honestly didn't know! I had no idea that _this_ was what he had planned for you!"  
Jo's gaze softened as she looked down at him.  
" Then _help_ me…" She didn't plead, she didn't beg. The emotion in her eyes said more than she ever could. Dedra felt his heart pang.  
" I want to but I-!"  
He was cut off.  
" Excellent," Obsequious came over and looked over the ropes holding her. Standing up Dedra excused him self and made his way silently across the hall and out of the door. Jo struggled to get up but the ropes did their job and held her fast. Obsequious sat in the throne alongside her, draping his legs over the arm farthest from her and leaning back over the other so that his head was resting on her arm. She flinched as he touched her. " This is nice isn't it," He sighed, stretching for a moment. " This is how it was meant to be…" He smiled to himself as he looked up at Jo's face. She was staring ahead, trying with every ounce of her strength to ignore him. He quickly reached up and caught hold of the gold chain around her neck, the chain given to her by Mithras, tugging so that she looked down at him.  
" What?" She spat, a look of absolute disgust on her face.  
" I said…" His voice dripped with venom as he pulled harder on the chain and twisted his grip so that it tightened against her throat making her gag. " This is how it was meant to be, you and I, on these thrones, side by side…"  
" Yeah…right…" Jo coughed.  
" You know it yourself…" He continued, playing with the delicate chain in his fingers, all the time tightening it around Jo's throat. " You **know** we are meant to rule this land together."  
" You're…you're insane!" Jo's vision was starting to blur as the chain cut deeper into her neck. She fought the urge to pull against the chain in case it broke. She didn't doubt that it hadn't just been the tiger's eye beads that had protected her. She couldn't afford to have it snap. At the moment it was all the protection she had.  
" Why do you resist me Jo? Why resist your destiny…?"  
" Because…" Jo gasped for air, struggling harder against the ropes. " Because…" Images and faces flashed through Jo's mind as she fought to stay conscious. Rosie and Lucy, Mark and Jenny. The five of them enjoying a picnic in the woods on a summer's day…_so long ago now_… An evening's walk through the streets of Paris with Phillipe. Tears stung at her eyes as her breathing became more desperate. Marius, Martin and Bertrande. Amos and a night in a barn.  
" Why?" He repeated, tightening the chain even more. And still the images continued to play though Jo's mind. A night in a barn where a man had inflicted similar pain on her. Awaking lost and alone in a garden, Judas and Jesus. Simon's face mingling in with the others. Mithras, Lina and Aradia. Glyndwr and Alvejan. And then, two eyes so familiar that just the sight of them made her feel all at once calm. So dark and deep. A person quick to fight but even quicker to care. **He** was her destiny not this _thing_ before her.  
" Because…" She croaked, barely breathing. " I…I…" Obsequious loosened the chain and allowed her to breathe. She gulped at the air, taking in lungful after lungful.  
" Why Jo…why do you fight against this…?" He asked again, sliding off the throne and kneeling before her, almost pleading. Her green eyes locked with his, so dark but empty, as she took a deep breath.  
" Because you are not Guillaume! You're barely human…" Jo glowered at him. " He is my destiny…my life is with him. Not with some psychotic, murdering _creature_ like you!" Obsequious merely looked up at her. Jo half expected him to shout, to hit her even, but just staring was more unnerving somehow. Then, slowly, a smile crept onto his face and Jo's frown grew. " What on earth are you smiling at? Didn't you hear me?" She all but yelled. " I said…" Obsequious held up a hand to halt her speech and the evil smile grew slightly.  
" I heard you," He breathed. " But I _know_ you Jo…I know your story…"  
" What _are_ you talking about…?" Anger rose in Jo's voice.  
" Everyone knows, you're a _legend_ remember!" He chuckled quietly. " You always go for the villain don't you…" His dark eyes sparkled, as Jo's angry expression grew even darker. " First there was Phillipe, the police inspector blinded by justice…"  
" How _dare_ you talk about Phillipe?" Jo said adamantly, tears of frustration starting to prick her eyes. " If you were even _half_ the man he was-!" Obsequious continued, ignoring her words.  
" And then of course there was Guillaume, the religious devotee and part time maniac…"  
" Shut up…" Jo whispered.  
" But you soon converted him…" Obsequious' tone was now thoughtful. " Converted his _ideals_ as it were…"  
" Shut up," Jo's voice grew harder.  
" And I'm sure if you'd had the chance you would have converted Judas too…" Obsequious dodged as Jo tried to kick out at him.  
" Shut up!" Jo yelled, as tears began to fall from her eyes. " Just shut up…" He knelt in closer to her, his face inches from hers. " You know _nothing_ about me…" She muttered.  
" And you don't know as much as you think you do…I am _just_ another villain Jo…just another man who needs someone to show him how he should live his life…why not convert me…" His hand went out to her face and brushed some of her hair back, his voice now gentle as he brought his face even closer. " Weave some of your magic over _my_ heart…" Jo looked into his eyes, there was such darkness there. Such coldness. For the briefest of moments Jo wanted to help him but the coldness that looked back at her made up her mind for her.  
" You've lived in the Swamplands for so long, your heart is so black and cold not even a year in sunlight could warm it," Jo said quietly, never taking her eyes from his. " Phillipe and Guillaume, even Judas, were all good men…a little misguided that's all. Their hearts and intentions were good. _You_ are the vilest thing I've ever had the misfortune to meet…a bad person with a black heart and an even blacker soul. What on earth do you think would tempt me to try…?" Obsequious' face instantly became one of pure furiousness, he yanked his hand back from her face as if he had burnt it there.  
" So be it…" His eyes glittered insanely. " The choice was yours, but you _will_ be mine…willingly or no…" Jo's reaction to this surprised him. Instead of quailing in fear, as he had hoped, or retorting, as he had expected, she simply laughed. Long and loud and right in his face. " What? Why are you laughing…?" His rage grew and he made to grab at her necklace again but Jo stopped laughing and fixed her gaze on him once more, causing him to freeze.  
" Because I have never seen anyone or anything as pathetic as you…no, you're not pathetic, you're _worse_ than pathetic…you're wretched…you're a miserable excuse for a human being… you're…"  
" Enough!" He raised his hand, as if to slap her, but as he brought it down towards her face, the doors at the far end of the hall were flung open to reveal a harassed looking Dedra. Obsequious spun around to glare at him. " What is it now?"  
" My lord…the others…the rest of them…they're almost at the city, a scout has spotted them…and it seems they are not alone…" Dedra spoke quickly, obviously hoping that the speed of the delivery would lessen the shock.  
It didn't work.  
A strangled yell escaped Obsequious' lips as he kicked the throne beside Jo's in anger.  
" But _how_? How could they know where we were? We left without them seeing…there's no way they could have…" He glanced at Jo and stopped. Realisation swept across his face. Jo's face held a kind of self-satisfied smile. " Aah yes…such a clever little…_witch_…we've been leaving our friends breadcrumbs to follow haven't we…?" Obsequious thought for a moment. " Arm the guards and tell them to be watchful…" He commanded Dedra without taking his eyes off of Jo's face. " They'll no doubt want to try and get their _friend_ back so double the sentries on the walls…I want to be kept informed of their movements,"  
" Sir," Dedra bowed turning to leave.  
" And as for you…" Obsequious stepped in front of Jo and the sound of a loud slap echoed in the hall. Dedra, having frozen at the sound of the blow, turned back and looked around Obsequious' back to see that an angry red mark had already risen on Jo's cheek. He bowed and quickly backed out of the doors. Obsequious leaned into her once more, his voice now quiet and deadly. " I would have let them live you know…all you had to say was yes to me...but now…now, their deaths will be on your head!"  
" The only death on my head…" Jo could taste blood in her mouth from where he had hit her but her eyes remained fixed on his. " …will be yours!" She glared at him; anger and rage boiling up inside her as he looked placidly back at her.  
" So quick to react aren't we Princess…and so certain that you can protect your friends…I think Phillipe would perhaps disagree with your abilities in that area…don't you think?" There was a snapping sound as Jo tried desperately to break free. She had heard enough. One of the ropes that bound her right arm to the throne broke, as did one of the ropes around her leg. She kicked out, catching him behind his knee, making him half fall over. As he bent over trying to regain his balance she snatched with her now free right hand and got hold of his throat. With all her strength she held on tightly. Obsequious was struggling to keep the calm expression on his face, panic was dancing in those black eyes as he tried to pry her fingers from his throat. He fell onto his knees before her once again.  
" I told you…never…_ever_…talk about Phillipe!" Jo said quietly. " He was a thousand times the man you are…but I wouldn't expect a _coward_ like you to understand that…" Jo tightened her grip slightly. " Not so tough now are we…without our guards to back us up…" Jo squeezed a little harder before releasing the coughing Obsequious to drop to the floor. He looked up at her, massaging his throat, confusion now bright in his eyes.  
" Wh-why…why did you do that…why didn't you kill me…?" He frowned, standing and brushing down his robes with, Jo noticed, shaking hands.  
" Because I'm not like you…" Jo's eyebrows were low over her eyes as she looked up at him. " We will face each other…soon…" She breathed as he turned away from her and started to walk slowly away. As he reached the great doors, Jo called out once more. " And remember Obsequious…I _could_ have killed you but I _chose_ not to…"  
" And I could have you killed at any time I please…" Obsequious retorted but Jo laughed.  
" No you couldn't, because you _need_ me and, more importantly, you haven't got enough guts to kill someone yourself…" Jo smirked. "As I said before, you are a coward through and through…just like your father!" Obsequious' eyes became narrow slits as he hurled himself through the door and slammed it behind him. The sound echoed around the room for a few moments as Jo sat motionless, still tied to the throne. After waiting for a moment more, to make sure he wasn't going to storm back in, she started to pull at the rope around her arm which seemed to be loosening.  
If the others _were_ on their way then maybe there was hope, not just for her, but for them all.


	60. PART 96

Dedra was not a stupid man, by any means. In his youth he had been educated alongside no less than Mithras, the king of Vaniria's right hand man. He sighed to himself. The _former_ King of Vaniria.  
And yet, he had failed to see the connection between Aradia and Jo despite having seen the pair of them before him. Without knowing the appearance of their parents one would be forgiven for not seeing the resemblance upon first meeting them. One was dark, the other auburn. One's eyes were pale and delicate; the other's bright and piercing. One favoured the King and the other favoured the Queen. The only similarity in appearance was the shape of their noses and a dusting of freckles that the sun produced on both of their faces. But to hear them speak their heritage was instantly recognisable. Aradia's voice had been trained to be regal and yet Jo's voice was no less authoritative.  
And _still_ he had not seen it. He had heard the rumours and legends all of his life about a secret heir to the throne of Vaniria. He had even seen the young princesses side by side in his youth and yet he still had failed to recognise Jo for who she really was. He scoffed as he wandered along the battlement of the castle. She had seen through him though. Jo had seen through his pathetic attempt at hiding his true identity. He seriously doubted if there was ever moment that Jo hadn't known who or what he really was. He slammed his fist down on the cold stonewall beside him. And yet why, why had she not revealed him. Maybe she had only doubted his own integrity, maybe she hadn't realised the link between himself and Obsequious. If she had known, she hadn't shown it until Vaniria at any rate.  
More to the point, why had he not seen the striking similarity between Julia and Jo. He had spent so many hours in his youth staring at one, why couldn't he see it in the other. He bit his lip thoughtfully. It was an idea that confused him to say the least. Were Julia and Jo the same person…? It could not be possible. They were very similar, in looks, in voice, Dedra smiled, in temperament. And yet, with all this in common, they were definitely two different people. Julia, despite her rather less than royal upbringing, was a lady and acted like one without question. Jo on the other hand it seemed was no less passionate about her causes than Julia had been but unlike Julia, Dedra didn't doubt that Jo would go about settling the battles for freedom and justice herself. '_She may have to_', his mind added coldly, '_thanks to you_'.  
However, something was almost identical about both Julia and Jo. The way he felt when he looked at Jo stirred memories of Julia in his heart. When Jo smiled at him, he got the same shivery, excited feeling he used to get when Julia had done the same. But Jo also kindled a different kind of emotion within his soul. Whenever she had looked at him with her green eyes wide with sadness or fear, as she had done so often recently, it had filled with him with guilt. Now he knew why. It was guilt for what he had once done to Julia.  
Suddenly Dedra's mind was filled with images and memories he had tried to forget about for years. Faces and words that he had long since endeavoured to overlook.  
For the first time in nearly ten years he did something he had sworn he would never do. He remembered his father…  
A voice that had rumbled like distant thunder, a quality Dedra had noticed his _own_ voice had started to take on recent years. He had had short hair, once the colour of mahogany, long since peppered with grey with age. Turquoise eyes so like Dedra's own, once kind, sincere and solemn; eventually turned cold and empty. Dedra could see him as clearly as if he had been sat beside him on that wall. Deep inside he could feel something he thought (or rather hoped) might be anger or resentment but that he _knew_ was regret. Regret that he hadn't done what his father had brought him up to be, that he hadn't been as courageous as he would have liked. That he hadn't been brave enough to say 'no' to him when it had mattered.  
They had lived alone for so long, 'family' consisted of his father and him. It was all he knew. All he had _wanted_ to know, until the day when everything had gone wrong and the life he had treasured had been taken away from him. Dedra massaged his temples as the gradually returning memories were becoming too much for him to bear. He could remember everything of that fateful day _so_ clearly. From the scent of the Frangipan flowers in the garden to the look of absolute sorrow and disappointment on his father's face when he had told him his 'big news'. Dedra's eyes misted with tears as he turned to look out over the lands stretching out beyond the city walls, now filling with the tents of the friends and their army of Meanders, Aesinians and Vanirians, as his fight to suppress the recollections failed and the scene began to replay in his mind…

_It had been late summer and for once it had seemed that the whole world had been smiling with him as he wandered along the pathway to his home. He had always, even as a child, been inclined towards cynicism but that day, that day he had been able to find the joy in every laugh that had carried on the breeze and the hope in every smile. That had been the day it had all gone wrong. That had been the day he had fallen in love.  
He had suspected it for sometime but it had hit him, and hit him hard that afternoon. He had been watching her with some other people, laughing and smiling. A gentle breeze had moved the hair back and away from her face. Something so perfect in what he had seen had struck a chord deep inside him all of a sudden and everything else but her had been pushed from his mind.  
She had been a part of his life for so long and now, now he couldn't imagine his life without her. And now all he had to do was tell his father, find out who her guardian was and…  
The door to his home was already opened when he'd reached it, his father waiting in the doorway. He had barely had chance to say 'hello' before his father had taken hold of his tunic and pulled him inside.  
" Where _have_ you been?" Demanded Refa. " I expected you home before now…I have been waiting to tell you something…  
" So have I, Father-!" Dedra had started before being cut off.  
" And whatever is so important that it cannot wait until later…?" There was a belittling tone in Refa's voice that had annoyed Dedra to the very core of his being. It was that which had spurred him on to speak.  
" I…I think I've found a girl, Father, a girl who…"  
" Well that's all well and good but she can wait, you have more important things to worry about."  
" I do?" Was Dedra's shocked reply. " I mean, don't you even want to know who she is…?"  
Refa had turned a look on his son so severe it had almost stopped him dead in his tracks.  
" I have already told you that I have important news of my own, son, but if you wish me to refrain from sharing it with you with some childish nonsense about a girl then please…continue…"  
It was a dangerous offer but Dedra took it. He couldn't help himself.  
" She's, well she's amazing Father. She's intelligent and brave…not to mention beautiful…" He added, a dreamy tone entering his voice that clearly had no effect on his father.  
" Who is she then…? This amazing girl that seems to have taken over your mind…"  
This was it.  
" She's…well, she's…it's Ju, you know, Julia, Aradia's friend…and why are you frowning at me like that…?"  
Refa's expression had become increasingly darker with every word that had left his son's lips.  
" And this is your important news…?" Refa's voice was quiet, treacherously so.  
An icy chill had trickled down Dedra's back as he had looked into his father's increasingly cold stare.  
" Well…yes father…"  
" There is nothing else you wish to tell me…?"  
Dedra had shaken his head, nervously playing with the hem of his tunic.  
Refa had sighed, wandering back and forth in front of his son for a moment, a hand on his forehead, massaging slowly.  
" Well, now that you have got this stupidity about girls out of your system…it is time for my news…I have spoken-"  
" Stupidity? It is anything but stupid father, I know you think I am perhaps too young for such things but…"  
" Then what would you call it? The news I have is far more important then some childish infatuation that will no doubt have run it's course by the end of the fortnight...at most…"  
" Won't you at least listen to what I have to say…?"  
" I will hear no more on the subject." That was his father's response. Dedra couldn't believe it.  
Surely there must be some way of making him see how unreasonable he was being…  
" But…I love her father," He had pleaded but his father had turned with such a dark expression it made him take a step backwards.  
" And you think that makes a difference do you?" Refa's eyebrows were drawn heavily over his eyes, one ever so slightly raised above the other. Challenging him to reply.  
" Well…I…" Dedra had felt all the confidence and happiness he had felt only moments earlier draining out of him and through the floor. " Isn't love enough…?"  
" I have to admit to being disappointed by you, Dedra, such emotion is folly…and a danger to a career such as yours. Allow yourself to get close to people and you allow your weaknesses to be known…allow your weaknesses to be known and they shall be used against you..."  
" Ju would never-!" Dedra had started but he never finished. His father struck him, not for the first time but it was the first time when Dedra had really wanted to strike him back, shake his father by the shoulders and make him see that his was not the only way to deal with problems.  
" This Julia that you speak of, she is friendly with the Princess therefore the potential for betrayal is even higher. Besides, I have heard that she has been chosen as a potential bride for someone else…" Dedra had immediately opened his mouth to ask just who this 'someone else' was but Refa's glare stopped him before he began. " Enough! I will hear no more of this nonsense…!"  
The air had crackled with unspoken anger from both of them.  
" Now…the summer is almost over, as is the time for childhood games my boy…" Refa spoke plainly and harshly. " I have spoken with Lord Incubus, he has noted your _talents_…"  
Dedra could recall how sick had felt at that word. Talents. Such a positive sounding word made to sound so threatening…so dark…  
" You will accompany him to the swamplands as an apprentice, of sorts…"  
" But father, I…"  
" This is _not_ a discussion…don't you think you have disappointed me enough for one day? This may be your only chance to prove yourself as a man…" Refa had then turned away from him. " Maybe you will leave these childish dreams of love and happiness everlasting as well as some of your immature attitude behind you on the way. You leave at sunrise…"  
Dedra had stood there, fuming inwardly that this weak man had all but sold him. His own father had bargained him away…  
How he wanted to yell at him, hit him…make him see he was wrong…wrong about Ju, wrong about Incubus…wrong about him too…  
But he did nothing.  
The following morning he left. No goodbyes, fond, sad or otherwise.  
That had been the last time he had seen his father…  
_  
One phrase kept echoing in his mind.  
…This may be your only chance to prove yourself as a man…  
Dedra looked back over the growing camp outside the city walls.  
…Your only chance to prove yourself…  
What if he could get a message to Guillaume and the others…maybe even sneak Jo out himself…the surely she would no longer be able to hate him. More importantly she would be safe.  
He ran a hand through his thick, sandy hair and then down over his face, smoothing his small beard. It was now or never.  
This was his only chance to prove himself, not as a man, but as something much more important…as a _friend_.

On the other side of the city walls a meeting was taking place.  
Guillaume, Glydnwr, Mithras and Jerest were carefully examining various maps of the city, along with several plans they had discovered in Jo's pack. Apparently she had been planning for a situation like this.  
Admittedly her plans did not call for the army they had with now, but they gave some ideas for attaining entry to the city that they hadn't already thought of.  
The rest of the friends were busy listing their resources, men and weapons. Several long pieces of parchment had been passed among their army and so they were cataloguing a list of the men, women, and the children too, who were there in support of their cause. Aradia had decided that all the names should be listed and then, once it was over, they would be rewarded and remembered.  
They had just reached soldier number five hundred and seventy-six, Anthony Barrel of Vivons, when angry voices disturbed their work. They looked up and within seconds all thoughts of their task had left their heads.  
Stood before them, held between two suspicious looking Meanders, was Dedra.  
The angry voices had been those of Guillaume, Glyndwr and Mark who were all trying to hold each other back whilst get close enough to take a swing at him themselves.  
Dedra shook himself free from the Meanders and looked at the mass of angry faces before him, all stood in shocked and furious silence.  
" I take it from this response you're not all that impressed to see me…" Dedra said in what he had hoped would be a nonchalant tone but, to his horror, he came across as proud instead.  
" Why are you here…? Haven't you done _enough_?" Demanded Jenny, clearly struggling to keep control of her emotions.  
" I say we take it in turns to hit him…" Amos suggested menacingly.  
" I want to be first…" Marius said, glaring at Dedra.  
" Not before me you don't…" Aradia added with a very un-regal sneer.  
" Nice to see you too…" Dedra muttered, all bravado gone from his voice.  
" So…What should we do with him…?" Glyndwr asked, darkly.  
" I say we do what we should have done weeks ago…take the bastard now and kill him!" Snarled Guillaume, moving forward so that his face was only inches from Dedra's.  
" Kill me now or kill me later," Dedra retorted. " But this isn't about _me_, it's about Jo! And if you kill me then you are dooming her to a similar fate…"  
" What do you mean by _that_?" Guillaume grabbed handfuls of Dedra's tunic bringing him even closer.  
" I've come with news of Jo…" Dedra said, looking past Guillaume, almost as if he hoped that the others would get him to move away. They didn't.  
" Then you'd better hurry up and tell us before Guillaume loses his patience, hadn't you…?" Martin answered.  
" Well…she's fine, a little tired and well…" Dedra swallowed nervously. This suddenly seemed like a very stupid thing to be doing. " She'll be ok but I don't know how much you all know about her…"  
" We know she's 'Julia'…kind of…so get on with it…" snapped Bertrande testily.  
" Oh, right, well…" Dedra couldn't help but wonder for a split second if he had been the _only_ one who hadn't known all along. " Obsequious is planning on marrying her…"  
" When?" Mithras demanded.  
" I don't know, as soon as he can I think…"  
The friend's exchanged nervous glances.  
" Then we're going to have to go into the city sooner rather than later…" Mithras said to them all edgily.  
" Like today…" Guillaume replied.  
" But Lina…she's not back yet…" Simon said, his voice faltering slightly.  
" We might not have time to wait for them to arrive…" Mithras explained as gently as he could.  
" What about Jo though…if we attack Obsequious might move her again…?" Jenny bit her lip slightly.  
All of this had been spoken as if Dedra hadn't been there.  
" I can get her out," Dedra said as calmly as he could manage with Guillaume's blazing eyes suddenly boring into him as soon as he opened his mouth. " Obsequious trusts me…"  
" What, like _we_ did you mean?" Rosie shot angrily from the background but Dedra continued unabated.  
" I can smuggle her out…there are tunnels…passageways…" Dedra shot a glance over at Mithras whose frown was lessening with each word.  
" He's not lying, there _are_ ways out of the castle that Obsequious wouldn't know about…" the tutor agreed begrudgingly.  
" I know the ones," Guillaume said shortly. " Jo…Jo showed me one when we first arrived…" He had to try his hardest not to start thinking about that night, so long ago, knowing that if he did he would not be able to think properly; now he needed his wits about him more than ever.  
" She's in the Great Hall, if I can get her out then there's a tunnel which will bring her out on this side of the city walls," Dedra explained. He shifted slightly, trying to loosen Guillaume's grip on his tunic but failing and ending up being shoved up against a nearby tree by the Frenchman instead.  
" Well, if she's in the Great Hall then why don't we all go up the tunnel and get her out that way…?" Simon suggested.  
" Because Obsequious is in there with her at the moment…and his guards are outside the door. If you all go charging in there then he'll simply call them in, or hurt Jo…" Dedra started.  
" Shut up a minute will you!" Guillaume hissed at Dedra, shoving him back against the tree once more, his hand holding onto his tunic firmly. He probably shoved him a little harder than was actually necessary but that wasn't important to Guillaume.  
" But I-" Dedra started before Guillaume's hand shot up to grip his neck tightly.  
" I mean it, say one word, just _one_ word, and I swear it'll be the last sound you ever make."  
Dedra nodded his submission.  
Guillaume paused before continuing.  
" He _does_ have a point, as much as I _hate_ to admit it," Guillaume groaned. " We can't risk surprising him and making him do something to Jo out of panic…"  
" Like I said…" Dedra tried once more to explain. " I can be in there with her, _alone_ in there with her without Obsequious being suspicious…then I can get her out."  
" But how do we know you're not lying…_again_…?" Mark's voice was conversational enough but his eyes blazed with cold green fire.  
" You're just going to have to trust me…" Dedra replied quietly.  
" Oh, well, that's _easy_ then isn't it…?" scoffed Aradia, " You can _trust_ me though, Dedra, of all the things I'm going to have to do in my life…trusting you isn't going to be one of them…"  
Dedra hung his head under the princess' gaze.  
" I know you and Mithras have perhaps more reason here than most to hate me…but, what happened before, it was out of my hands…"  
" Well why don't you tell us _all_ exactly what happened before…" Mithras suggested. " And just how it wasn't in your hands…"  
Dedra paled as Guillaume stepped away from him slightly.  
" What…what do you mean…?" Dedra asked hesitantly.  
" Why don't you tell us all about…William…"  
" No!" Dedra exclaimed.  
" William…?" Aradia's tone was confused. " What's _he_ got to do with William…?"  
" Wasn't William that friend of Ju's…the one who died at the gorge…" Lucy asked.  
" That's the one," Mithras replied. " The young man Julia was in love with…who was _killed_ at the gorge."  
" What do you mean…_killed_…?" Lucy queried, her eyes moving suspiciously to Dedra.  
" I think Dedra is the one you need to ask about that…"  
One by one the friends turned to Dedra, their hostile gazes now slightly curious.  
Dedra looked from one to the next, that sickening feeling of guilt returning to churn his insides.  
" It was an accident…" he began " I had only gone there to talk to him. Sent there to talk to him, about Julia…"  
" Sent by whom…?"  
Dedra looked at the Princess helplessly for a moment.  
" By Incubus…"  
A muffled gasp ran around the group before Dedra continued.  
" He told me that William was going to marry her…one day at least…and I, well, he knew that I…cared for her very much myself so…I went to the gorge that day to…to…"  
" To remove the competition?" Aradia asked, disgust dripping from every word.  
" No…it wasn't like that, I swear," Dedra raised his hands in a display of desperate innocence. " I just wanted to talk to him, make sure he would care for her as much, if not more, than I did…"  
" So, if that's all that happened…how come he died…?" asked Amos.  
" He jumped to the same conclusion you did…" Dedra replied. " He knew my father was friendly with Lord Incubus and suspected I had only the darkest motivation…he tried to walk away from me, I begged him to stay and just hear me out. He said, he said he was going to tell Ju what I had done. I panicked and reached out to stop him. And…he slipped…" Dedra's voice broke. " I tried to grab hold of him, reach out and save him…but I couldn't…"  
Silence fell over the group as they digested what they had just been told.  
" Oh my…It's _you_!" Mithras suddenly exclaimed.  
" What…?" asked Guillaume, one eyebrow arched as Mithras stared at him intently.  
" I knew there was something else…" Mithras smacked himself on the forehead. " When you told me about what happened at the gorge in the desert with you and that snake…and Dedra saving you…made me think of William…"  
" Well, it would, wouldn't it…?" Mark started uncertainly.  
" Don't you all see…Guillaume…William…" Mithras trailed off, waiting for realisation to take hold of the bemused friends in front of him. When it seemed it would need a further nudge, he continued. " Guillaume is the French version of William…"  
Now all eyes were on Guillaume.  
" Jo said the name was familiar but she didn't know why…" Rosie admitted.  
" William means protector…you're Jo's protector, always have been…" Marius smiled gently at the shocked Artigatian.  
" And for longer than any of us realised…" Mithras added.  
Guillaume licked his lips and ran a hand through his hair. Trembling imperceptibly. A thousand questions racing through his mind. Memories of his time with Jo flashing by. Feelings and emotions jostling for position in his head.  
" This is something we need to discuss…" He said quietly as he turned to Mithras. "But now is not the time…"  
" As you wish…" Mithras bowed his head in agreement as Guillaume turned back to Dedra.  
" So, it seems you may have killed me in one life and saved me in this, to my estimations this means that, so far, we're equal. Now…what makes you so sure you can save Jo too…?"  
" I can't be sure…but I can try…" Dedra replied honestly.  
" I think the real question is, do we believe you enough to let you go and try…?" Martin's voice rang out loudly.  
" Do you really think I would have come out here alone and unarmed if I wasn't serious…?" Dedra asked emphatically, desperation becoming more and more evident on his face.  
" Perhaps…only a seriously _stupid_ person would come out to the very people he had betrayed and expect them to believe him…" Lucy said bluntly and with uncharacteristic bite.  
" Just give me a couple of hours before you attack, give me long enough to try and get Jo out…" Dedra asked, his heart in his throat as he caught Guillaume's angry stare once more.  
" If she's not out here within _one hour_, we're coming in and you'd better swear to whatever God, if any, watches over you that she's fine when we _do_ find her…" Guillaume hissed viciously.  
" I swear, I want nothing more than to see Jo and this kingdom free…" Dedra placed a tentative and shaking hand over his heart. " I swear, I would rather die than hurt her…"  
Guillaume walked up to him, their faces now inches apart once more.  
" Be careful what you swear, _Dedra_, you might just get to do it!"  
Dedra looked around at them all once more before turning and running back towards the city walls and the passageway into the castle. One hour.  
One hour to try and safe a friend in need that he should have been helping all along.  
One hour to try and save a country, an entire world, from an evil that threatened to destroy it.  
One hour…to save himself.


	61. PART 97

One more pull and it should break. One more sharp tug and her arm should be free. Jo steeled her self, took a deep breath and, with all that remained of her strength; she pulled her arm sharply up and away from the throne. There was a loud snapping sound and the last of the ropes holding her arm in place broke. She felt like crying with joy, after almost half an hour of struggling she was nearly free. With her right arm now free from its bonds, she was able to untie her other arm and untie the ropes around her legs. Dropping the broken ropes onto the floor she leant forwards, elbows on knees, her head in her hands as she tried to gather her thoughts. Simply walking out of the castle wasn't an option; she had heard only too clearly Obsequious' commands for his men. She didn't doubt that while all the entrances were being watched, so were all the possible exits; secret or otherwise. She ran a hand through her hair as she sat back up and looked out over the Great Hall.  
For the first time since leaving the others Jo was able to really think about what she had been told. If what Obsequious had said was true then this _was_ her home, her palace…her kingdom. She shook her head and muttered,  
" Well, never saw myself as a Princess before now!"  
Glancing out across the marbled floor she was once again transported back to the night of the Ball. Phantom music filled the air and for a moment Jo wasn't sure whether she was dreaming or awake. Hundreds of couples filled the room, dancing gracefully in each other's arms.  
Rosie and Marius. Lucy and Martin. Mark and Bertrande. Jenny and Amos. Phillipe and Aradia. Simon and Lina. Herself and Guillame. Jo was sure she saw all of them twirl gently across the floor before her.  
Slowly Jo stood up from the throne and made her way down the steps to the floor. Wincing slightly she walked out into the middle of the floor, turning around little by little to look at the Hall.  
" Home…" Jo murmured, taking in the tapestries, the paintings and the sculptures. But she also took in more than that; the feeling of the place, the atmosphere. A feeling inside that she couldn't deny feeling, a feeling of being somewhere safe.  
A smile crept onto her face as the phantom music swelled and seemed to grow louder. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to sway gently along with it. Raising her arms to dance very slowly with an imaginary partner.  
Then the phantom music stopped and Jo froze. A noise outside had sliced through her daydream like a knife through butter.  
There were voices.  
Voices from the corridor outside, muffled by the thickness of the doors but voices that were definitely getting closer. Jo's heart thumped louder in her chest as she looked around desperately, she needed a place to hide and she needed it fast.  
She moved over to the nearest wall, feeling along it with her arms. There was a small column carved into the stone that she could partially hide behind.  
The sound of someone turning the latch in the door echoed in the now silent hall. Holding her breath, Jo pressed herself closer against the wall, almost as if she thought she could melt into it if she got close enough.  
She had no sword, no weapons. Whoever it was that was coming she had no way to defend herself or to try and fight them off long enough to get into one of the passages in the wall on the other side of the hall.  
She had her magic but she was far too tired to even consider using it.  
The door started to open and Jo took a deep breath.  
The door opened wider and Jo closed her eyes as the sound of the person's feet scuffing against the stone floor got louder.  
This was it.  
Jo looked back at the door and didn't breath, her head swimming with exhaustion and fear.  
Then Dedra appeared in the doorway and Jo felt her body sag with relief, not to mention exhaustion, and she fell to her knees as he quickly shut the door behind him and dashed over to her side.  
" Oh God, are you alright…?" His voice rang with concern as he reached her.  
" I'll live…with any luck…" Jo grimaced sitting upright.  
" You _do_ know that I had no idea of what Obsequious had planned for you…I thought he wanted you to help him find Julia…I didn't know that you were…" His voice tailed off, trembling as it did so.  
" Came as something of a surprise to me too," Jo admitted wryly. " But look, if you were _serious_ about wanting to help me…then now's the time to do it…" She said as Dedra knelt down beside her.  
" That's why I'm here…I've been out to Guillaume and the others…they know where you are and I've told them I'm going to try and get you out of here…" Dedra explained quickly.  
Just the mention of Guillaume's name and the knowledge that he was outside the city walls, safe and sound, made Jo want to cry with relief. Somehow she managed to overcome the urge and looked back at Dedra.  
" Well, what are we waiting for then…?" Jo asked, after he made no move to get up and help her.  
" I'm not sure if I can though…" Dedra looked at her cagily. " There have been so many times in the past where I have been too afraid I'll make a mistake and do something I'll regret…and I regret so much already…"  
" But it doesn't matter now..." Jo tried to smile. " You have found in your heart your own faults and are trying to correct them..."  
" Don't you see it's too late...Someone once said that 'The evil that men do lives after them;'" Dedra said quietly.  
" That...that was Shakespeare..." Jo frowned, not believing her ears. " How did you...? But of course…the tutoring…" Aradia's words came back to her as Dedra continued.  
" I wasn't lying when I said that as a youth a friend of mine was training to be a tutor the only thing was...so was I..." Dedra lowered his head for a second. " Mithras and I...were both trained together in Aesina...he was chosen to be the royal tutor here and I..." His voice caught in his throat. Jo reached out and gently touched his shoulder, making him look at her. " My father followed the darkness not the light. He was a weak man and Incubus preyed easily on the weak and I was lead into his allegiance..." Tears misted his eyes for a second. " And I was too weak to say no,"  
" But you're saying no _now_ Dedra," She took hold of both his shoulders, turning him to face her. " Help me…help me Dedra before it's too late…"  
" I don't know if I can…" All of a sudden the man before her looked a like a frightened child and Jo remembered where she had seen those eyes before. A young man who had let a little girl go. Dedra had been the guard who had not killed Ju, _her_, when he had had the chance. He had saved her life. Jo's face broke into a warm smile.  
" Of course you can…you did it once and I know you can do it again!" She put a hand on his face and sighed. " But only you can decide to…I can't make you…"  
" I don't know if I can…" Dedra merely repeated in an increasingly trembling voice. His turquoise eyes bored deep into hers and for the briefest of moments Jo felt she could almost see into his soul. " I don't think I can…not without…"  
" Not without what?" Jo frowned slightly as his voice trailed off, his face showing the painful kind of struggle that she had seen on the faces of Phillipe and Guillaume before this.  
" Not without telling you something…" Dedra eventually managed.  
" Tell me anything you wish," Jo smiled. " Just make it before Obsequious comes back…" There was a gentle kind of urgency in her voice as she spoke.  
" Do you remember a man called William at all…?"  
" A little, well, I've heard of him…he died at a gorge didn't he? He was a friend of Julia's, which I suppose makes him a friend of mine…why?"  
" He was _more_ than a friend…" Dedra's tone became a little harder.  
" Be that as it may…" Jo said tactfully. " What has he got to do with any of this…? What has he got to do with you…?"  
" I…I killed him. I killed William…" Dedra's voice was suddenly softer than she had ever heard it and fresh tears welled up in his eyes. " It was an accident but…I took him there, to the gorge, I was going to tell him to leave Ju alone, tell him how I felt about Ju, that I loved her, but he slipped…I tried to pull him back but…"  
Suddenly Jo was no longer listening. There was something about what he had just said that had touched a nerve inside her.  
William…why did that name seem so familiar…she didn't know anyone called William…or Will…or Bill or…

_Brat still clung to Guillaume's hand. " I wanna stay with Mister Gill…" she whined._

Mister Gill…Guillaume… Realisation hit Jo hard. It all made sense, Guillaume was the French version of William. Realisation was quickly replaced with the tingly exciting feeling she always got when she thought about Guillaume, maybe they had always loved each other, even before they met. Her mind went back to that afternoon in the desert when Guillaume had almost slipped into the gorge, but Dedra had hauled him back to safety. Dedra had saved him…as he had saved her…  
The sound of Dedra's voice becoming more ragged as sobs began to make his chest heave brought Jo back to the present. " I'm sorry, _so_ sorry…but I did it because…I loved Ju…I loved her so much…" His turquoise eyes locked with Jo's for what could only have been a few moments but felt like an eternity. " Like I love you…"  
" Oh Dedra," Jo sighed, laying her hand on the side of his face. " You don't know what you're saying…But, you're wrong…you don't love me…" He opened his mouth to argue but Jo cut him off. " I know you think you do but it's not _me_, it's _Ju_…always was, always will be," Jo smiled warmly. " I know how much she meant to you…"  
" But then why does my heart pain me so much when I see what I nearly did to you…" Dedra frowned like a child.  
" Because that's how you feel when you think a friend is hurt…" Jo pushed some hair back from his forehead. " We may have been friends in another life, Dee," She was happy to see some warmth flood back into his sad eyes as she used the name from his childhood. " But what matters is…we are _still_ friends now…" Now it was Dedra's turn to smile.  
" We are…?" His voice was so full of hope.  
" Of course," Jo felt a lump rise in her throat as fresh tears jumped into Dedra's eyes, but these were now tears of joy. " How could we not be…I don't give Tiger's Eye to just anyone you know…"  
" I've waited so long to hear those words…" He smiled. " But…but there's something else I have to ask…" Dedra swallowed slowly. " Can you ever honestly forgive me for what I've done to you…?"  
Jo sighed, trying to desperately stop the pricking sensation in her eyes from becoming tears as Dedra's tears fell faster.  
" You saved my life once Dedra and you've done it again today…what on earth is there to forgive…" She finally managed to say before taking him in her arms and hugging him tightly. She held the now sobbing man against her, fighting the urge to cry herself. He held her back, almost as if his life depended on it. He clung to her almost as if he was clinging onto his existence. His head resting on her shoulder and her cheek resting on the top his head. One of her arms was around his back, her other hand stroking his head making quiet, soothing noises.  
" It's alright…everything's going to be alright…" She whispered, rocking him gently in her arms.  
" I've missed you so much," Dedra whispered as she held him.  
" I know you have, but I'm back now and nothing's going to take me away this time…however, now's not the time for this…" Jo grinned slightly. " You came here to help me escape…so how about we get that over with and then we'll have all the time we need to do this…you, me, Dia and Ra…together again…" She squeezed his shoulder. " So how about we get going…?" Dedra sat up slightly and smiled at her.  
" Yes, your majesty…" He winked at her before hugging her briefly.  
" Now…isn't this touching…" A cold voice came through the silence of the hall. Dedra and Jo separated quickly and simultaneously gasped. Stood in the doorway, an evil smile on his face, was Obsequious.


	62. PART 98

Slowly, and with snakelike grace, Obsequious closed the door and walked across the floor towards them. Stopping in the centre of the hall.  
" Funnily enough, even though I didn't doubt it would only be a matter of time before some poor love struck _fool_ attempted a rescue of the fair maiden…" Obsequious made a mocking bow in Jo's direction. " I never thought it would be _you_ Dedra," Obsequious clicked his tongue as Dedra rose to his feet, leaving Jo kneeling on the floor behind him.  
" Let her go," Dedra's voice was firm but Jo could see he was trembling.  
" I _beg_ your pardon," Obsequious frowned slightly.  
" Let her go…this is _wrong_, and you know it…" Dedra added, this time with more uncertainty in his voice.  
" I'm surprised at you Dedra," Obsequious continued to draw closer. " I thought you of all people should know _better_ than to risk your life to save a…"  
" Be careful Obsequious," Dedra said quietly.  
" No, I think you'll find it should be you who should be careful," Obsequious corrected menacingly. " And my dear Jo, your lovely dress will be ruined if you stay down there on the floor…let me help you up…"  
" Stay back…" Dedra replied before Jo could, drawing his sword and holding it up towards Obsequious.  
One of the Dark Lord's black eyebrows rose ever so slightly on his face, almost in amusement.  
" Is that supposed to _scare_ me…?" He asked, sounding genuinely entertained by the prospect.  
" You and I both know that there is army far greater in size than yours is…defeat is almost certain…" Dedra began.  
" Size isn't everything my friend…" chuckled Obsequious crudely.  
" Let her go…" Dedra repeated, " This is madness…"  
" In that case, one thing you should know," Obsequious began to walk back and forth in front of them both. " Is that there's not reasoning with a mad man…"  
Dedra tightened his grip on his sword as Obsequious slowly drew his own sword, the blade glinting in the morning light pouring through one of the huge windows in the hall.  
" Then I'll just have to try and do my best with _this_ to make you see sense…" Dedra raised his sword and pointed it at Obsequious.  
" Such bravery…" mocked Obsequious. He looked past Dedra at Jo, still sat on the floor. " Do you have this effect on _every_ man you meet, Princess…?" Jo narrowed her eyes in response but Dedra made her answer for her.  
There was a roar as Dedra charged at the Dark Lord. His blow though was easily deflected and Dedra span back round once he had passed, anger shining in his pale turquoise eyes.  
" She certainly has cast a spell over you Dedra," smiled Obsequious, though there was no joy in the expression. " Shame it was a spell of idiocy…"  
Dedra charged again and once again his blow was knocked aside.  
" It's _almost_ charming how you're willing to risk your life for one who hates you…" Obsequious looked at Dedra, his head on one side. Goading him. Taunting him.  
" I don't hate him…" Jo spat.  
Dedra almost dropped his sword with joy.  
Obsequious merely laughed.  
" Really…? You do surprise me…have you really found it in your heart to forgive the man who is responsible for the death of your beloved Phillipe…?" Obsequious asked.  
Jo swallowed, fixing her eyes on his cruel black gaze.  
" Don't worry, I have much better principals than you could ever imagine. I'll never forgive _you_ for that…after all, it was _you_ that killed Phillipe…not Dedra…"  
" I see…" It was Obsequious' eyes that now narrowed in thinly veiled anger. " Come on then Dedra, you're clearly desperate to embarrass yourself in front of her so let's get on with it…"  
" The only embarrassed person in here, is going to be you," Dedra replied viscously.  
" Well, we'll just have to wait and see…won't we?" Obsequious laughed.  
Dedra glanced back at Jo, throwing her a hopeful smile, before turning back to face Obsequious. He took a deep breath and then, he charged again.  
Their swords met once more and this time it was Obsequious who was thrown back.  
Obsequious shrugged and gave Dedra a look that he was surprised and ever so slightly impressed.  
Then their fight seemed to suddenly move up a gear. They came together once more and their movements were almost a blur to follow. Jo could only sit and watch as the two men battled back and forth. Their swords flashing and crashing constantly. Eyes fixed on each others, both with grim expressions of determination.  
Then Dedra's sword caught Obsequious' forearm. Ripping through the material of his black shirt and, judging from the expletive that shot from his lips, cut his flesh too.  
Obsequious clutched his forearm, glaring at Dedra menacingly.  
" No going back now…" he hissed as they both charged at each other again. There was a groan and everything went quiet. The two men parted and Obsequious' sword was stained red.  
" Oh no…" Jo murmured as she spotted blood marking Dedra's tunic.  
Dedra fell to the floor. His hands clutching at the wound in his side. The clothing around it quickly turning a violent scarlet. His face pale and his entire body trembling. Jo quickly crawled across the floor to his side.  
" I'm sorry, Jo…" He murmured, casting a sorrowful look at Jo.  
" No, I'm the one who's sorry…this fight wasn't yours…" Jo reached out and squeezed his hand and smiled before taking up his sword and standing up in front of Obsequious. " It was _mine_…" Jo took a steadying breath, trying to convince her legs that they were not made of jelly and that she couldn't really be as exhausted as she knew she was. She lifted the sword in front of her, the tip pointing at Obsequious.  
" So, you're going to fight me all for this traitor are you…?" Obsequious asked, sounding genuinely astounded.  
" No I'm going to fight you, and I'm going to beat you too by the way, for this _friend_…" Jo smiled. " Not that I expect you to understand the concept of friendship, you sorry son of a-"  
" Tut tut tut! Language, your highness…" mocked Obsequious, clicking his tongue annoyingly at her.  
" Come on then," Jo tossed Dedra's sword from hand to hand, one eyebrow slightly raised. " What are you waiting for…unless, is it just that you're just too afraid you're about to get beaten by a _girl_…?"  
Obsequious let out a short laugh before bowing his head slightly.  
" As you wish your majesty…"  
Their swords met with a loud clang that reverberated off of all the windows and walls in the Great Hall, even the air seemed to tremble.  
They exchanged blows, neither one seeming to get anywhere fast.  
But Jo was definitely faring far worse than her opponent. The sword was heavy and seemed to be getting heavier by the second.  
Jo swung it towards Obsequious, fighting a wave of tiredness that swept over her, almost knocking her over.  
The sounds of their swords clashing echoed around the hall but they sounded slow, not the fast and furious sounds that had accompanied Dedra's fight with Obsequious.  
Jo knew she couldn't keep this up for long, if she could only disarm him and maybe make a dash for the hidden passageway up to her old chambers. She doubted that they would be being guarded. She could then go from there up into Mithras' tower and there would be something there that would be able to help her. The other problem would be getting Dedra up there. There was no way she would be able to just leave him lying on the floor of the Great Hall.  
Jo dodged a blow of Obsequious' and spun around to try and hit him over the back of the head, copying the motion she had watched Dedra use on Guillaume back at the riverbank in the Swamplands.  
But there was a flash and a strong wind and the blade became icy cold in her hands. She dropped it, feeling the ice burns stinging her palms, the blade clanging on the stone floor.  
Jo stared open mouthed at Obsequious who would stood, one hand outstretched towards her with his palm facing her.  
He'd used magic.  
" You cheated…?" Jo exclaimed, disbelief ringing clearly in her voice.  
Obsequious shrugged, kicking the sword away and across the floor.  
" You sound surprised…I wouldn't have thought you'd have expected anything less from me…" He smirked.  
" No…I suppose I expected more…" Jo replied with disappointment replacing the disbelief. The smirk faded from Obsequious' face as he walked quickly towards her. His hand shooting out to grab the back of her head, tangling painfully in her hair as he pulled her towards him slightly.  
" Play time is over," He sneered, sheathing his sword and using his free hand to grab her waist and pull her close against him. " You fought and you lost…"  
" Give me back my sword and I'll show you who the loser is…" Jo said through gritted teeth, struggling to pull away from him.  
" Tempting…but no…" Obsequious' eyes shifted from her face and looked over her body, causing that nauseous feeling to return to the pit of Jo's stomach. She turned her face away from him but it was turned back. " And as I won…I think it's time I claimed my prize…" He moved his head forward, his mouth heading for hers but it never reached. Jo's knee connected with his groin first.  
He bent over slightly, groaning loudly, his hands loosening their grip on her.  
" Once a thief…forever a thief!" Jo spat. " What you want you always steal! You think you can take whatever you like, _whenever_ you like…well I'm sorry, it's time you grew up!" With that Jo hit him and hit him hard. Her fist hitting him squarely on his chin, knocking him from his feet. But as he lost his balance and started to fall, his hand snatched in the air and caught hold of her necklace.  
Jo stood and watched in what seemed to be slow motion as the chain snapped and fell to the floor. As it did so, a wave of weakness passed through her. Whatever protection the necklace or chain had been providing her with, it was now no longer there. She sank to her knees beside Dedra, who looked worse by the moment. She was going to have to get him out of there, both of them out of there, and soon if either of them was going to survive this.  
Obsequious rose to his feet and rubbed his chin, smirking evilly at her.  
" And once again you've managed to end up right where I want you…" He moved closer, Jo tried to scramble back along the floor but her feet kept getting caught in the bottom of her gown and she was getting no where fast.  
Obsequious laughed again, this one almost pitying in tone.  
" And just where do you think you're going…?" He asked her, stamping down on the hem of her dress, pining it to the floor.  
Jo looked up at him, fear starting to mingle in with the fury in her expression.  
" You don't frighten me…" Jo said as bravely as she could. She sounded pretty convincing too she thought.  
Obsequious drew his sword once more and pointed it at her, the tip less than an inch from her skin. He moved it across her neck from shoulder to shoulder, at times the metal grazed her skin causing her to gasp and flinch in spite of herself. Obsequious smiled wickedly as he moved the tip of the sword under one of the straps of her dress and flicked it upwards, slicing through the material. He let out a hiss of appreciation as the material fell back down to reveal her shoulder.  
" So I don't frighten you…?" Obsequious asked, running the blade across Jo's shoulder.  
" No…" her voice had much more conviction now. " You _repulse_ me, you don't scare me…you're _far_ too pathetic to be scary…!"  
" Really…" Obsequious replied quietly, placing his sword on the floor by his feet and crouching down before her. This time he ran his fingers across her bared shoulder. " So soft…" He murmured before looking into her eyes once again. " So you're not frightened now…?"  
" No…" Jo's jaw tightened as his cool skin touched hers.  
" Not even now…?" He asked again. His hand now running back and forth along her collarbone then moving up to take hold of some of her hair, he brought his face closer to smell it. He leant back, his hand sliding down the hair to land on her skin once more. " Still not frightened…?"  
Jo just glared at him. She had to get out of this situation, and quickly before it became a case of too little, too late.  
Shifting her hand slowly along the floor by her side she started to gather up the material of the dress' skirt. Obsequious' hand was now stroking her skin, moving downwards towards the neckline of her dress, his eyes fixed on his fingertips as they dragged downwards.  
His fingers had just brushed the edge of the fabric at the neckline when Jo pulled on the dress in her hand, hard.  
The sudden surprise took Obsequious unawares and as the material was pulled from under his feet he could do nothing but fall backwards.  
Jo dragged herself up and ran to Dedra's side, grabbing his sword in one hand and Dedra himself in the other, wrapping her arm under his and supporting him around his chest. He looked so pale but he was till breathing, his eyes flickering open every so often.  
Obsequious brushed himself off as he stood up, laughing to himself.  
" You never cease to amaze me Jo, such inventiveness…" He bent down quickly to pick up his sword before straightening up again and fixing her with his black eyes. " Now what…?" Obsequious spread his hands wide to his sides, black eyebrows arched questioningly on his brow. " Somehow I don't think Dedra is going to be able to help you any more…so what are you planning on doing now…?"  
Admittedly Jo didn't actually know, but there was no way she was going to admit that.  
She knew she had to get out of the hall, _somehow_, and take Dedra or they were both doomed.  
Steeling herself Jo tightened her grip on Dedra and glared at Obsequious before closing her eyes and focusing her mind on herself and Dedra, trying to block out Obsequious and everything else. Concentrating. There was a possible means of escape, but it would take all of her strength and nerve to see it through.  
All she had to do was concentrate…  
" You can close your eyes all you like, your highness, I can assure you I will _still_ be here when you open them…"  
Jo tried her best to ignore him and bite back on the retort aching to fly from her lips. She knew she only had one chance at this.  
" Where is the illustrious Guillaume when you need him, eh?' taunted Obsequious.  
_Concentrate…_  
" It seems your knight in shining armour is running a little late, doesn't it…?" Obsequious cackled coming closer as Jo fought to remain standing and maintain her focus on herself and on Dedra.  
_Concentrate…_  
" You know it's rude to ignore someone like this…" Obsequious frowned when there was no response from Jo.  
" Look at me…" He demanded firmly.  
Jo opened her eyes, but remained silent. Her grip on Dedra tightening.  
" You still haven't answered me…"  
Jo allowed one of her eyebrows to rise slightly.  
" Well…? Are you going to answer me…?" He asked, stopping just in front of her.  
Jo shook her head.  
_Concentrate…_  
Jo knew it wouldn't take much more…  
" You would do better to remember that I do not like being disobeyed…" Obsequious said menacingly as he suddenly struck out with his hand. Striking her with the back of his hand. Pain exploded in Jo's head as his blow connected with her jaw, snapping her head to the side but she fought to keep her mind focused on the task at hand.  
Jo turned back to face him, shaking her head slightly as her vision blurred, and smiled sweetly before kicking out with her foot and catching the side of his knee while elbowing his injured forearm. Obsequious wobbled a little but maintained his balance hissing like a stamped on snake.  
He whirled back around to grab hold of her but froze…  
Jo, and Dedra, had vanished.  
" Where…?" He frowned before a knowing smile crossed his lips.  
" Very clever Jo, now come out before you tire yourself completely…" Obsequious asked in an almost concerned tone of voice.  
The room stayed silent in response.  
" Come out, come out wherever you are…" Obsequious continued.  
He remained alone in the hall. His expression quickly became as black as his eyes.  
" Where are you?" Obsequious screamed, throwing his sword at the wall where it hit with a loud clang. " I'll find you!" He whirled on the spot, his black eyes searching the hall frantically for any sign of her. " Your witchcraft can't hide you forever!" He snarled, wiping his hand over his mouth as panic began to sparkle in his eyes. He stumbled over to the thrones and sank down heavily onto one of them. He looked up and spotted Jo's chain where it lay on the floor. A twisted smile crept onto his face and as he spoke again, his voice was barely above a chilling whisper. " You're on your own now Princess…I'll find you…and when I do…you _will_ be mine!"


	63. PART 99

Jo leant heavily against the wall.  
Her head was pounding and she felt sick. Every part of her seemed to be shaking uncontrollably and she could feel a cold sweat breaking out on her brow.  
She had managed to make both Dedra and herself invisible and had dragged him across to the hidden entrance leading up to what had been the suite of rooms belonging to her and her friends when they had first arrived in Vaniria. But for the moment she was too tired to even begin contemplating carrying Dedra and dragging herself up the winding staircase to it.  
Dedra was laid across a few steps at her feet while Jo turned around to rest her back against the stones while she struggled to regain control of her breathing.  
It wouldn't be so bad if her head would just stop throbbing enough to let her consider moving again.  
Judging from the pain at the bridge of her nose, a nose bleed was on the way too following Obsequious' blow to her face.  
" That's about all I'm short of…" Jo groaned, taking a deep breath and bending down to pull Dedra to his feet.  
" Jo…what…I can't…" He mumbled, making no sense whatsoever as she looped his arm around her neck and shoulders.  
" Come on Dedra…don't you do this to me…" Jo shook him, forcing him to open his eyes once more. " Not far now…then I can find something to fix us both…"  
Slowly, and with Jo doing most of the work, they started to climb the stairs. Hoping they would reach Mithras' tower and some kind of cure for the pair of them before Obsequious worked out where they had gone.  
A wave of dizziness passed over Jo, causing her to stumble and almost tumble back down the stairs. Looking down at the ground it was obvious her nose was now bleeding.  
" Classic…" Jo growled, tightening her hold on Dedra and starting up the stairs once more. " Surely things can only get better…"

" Aradia? Are you ok…?" Glyndwr's voice rang with concern as he watched the Princess stumble and almost fall over completely. The only thing stopping her had been a conveniently placed tree, which she had grabbed hold of at the last moment. The Meander dashed over to her side and helped her sit down.  
" Yeah…yeah I'm fine…just went a bit dizzy that's all…" Aradia smiled weakly. " Bit of headache, that's all…"  
The two of them had been taking a quiet walk along the edge of the camp after Aradia had complained of feeling tired and nauseous earlier. Glydnwr had suggested a walk in the fresh air might liven her up a bit but he had noticed she had been looking increasingly peaky as the moments had passed.  
" Can I get you anything…? Some water perhaps…?" Glyndwr offered, holding her hands gently in his own.  
" Don't fuss so…" Aradia smiled, lifting up one of her hands and laying it on his face. " It's only a headache…it's not like my leg's come off or anything…"  
Glyndwr smiled and stood up, holding out his hands to help her to her feet. She took them and he pulled her up and into his arms.  
Aradia blushed and squirmed slightly.  
" What if someone sees…?" She whispered, her lilac eyes flitting around.  
" I don't care," Glydnwr replied, a twinkle in his eyes, his arms sliding down her back to wrap around her waist, pulling her even closer. " Do you…?"  
" Only about you," She smiled, before lifting up her chin to kiss him gently.  
" Whatever happens today, and all the days after that, I want you to know that I love you…I think I always have, ever since that day in the woods when we met…" Glyndwr sighed, stroking her cheek once their kiss had ended.  
" I know," Aradia replied. " I've loved you since the moment I saw you…"  
The two of them smiled at each other before a frown crossed Glyndwr's brow.  
" What…what is it…?" Aradia asked, her delicate features confused.  
" Your nose…your nose is bleeding…" He replied, gently wiping some of the blood away with his hand. " Did you catch it when you went giddy just now…?"  
" No…no I don't think so…" Aradia replied, holding a handkerchief up to stem the bleeding.  
" Then how did…?" Glyndwr started to ask but Aradia's expression stopped him. " What…?"  
" You don't think…" Aradia's eyes moved from his face to look up at the castle walls beside them. " You don't think it's Jo do you…?"  
" You mean, Jo's making your nose bleed?"  
" No, I mean, what if Jo's hurt…and I'm feeling it too…"  
Glyndwr looked sceptical.  
" It would explain why I've been feeling so oddly this morning…" Aradia went on.  
" I think we should ask Mithras…before we jump to any conclusions…" Glyndwr said thoughtfully.  
Aradia laughed.  
" Before we tell Guillaume you mean!"  
" That too...!" Glyndwr admitted with a wry smile as he took Aradia's arm and the pair of them headed back into the camp to find their friends.

With a groan Jo propped Dedra against the doorframe that led into what had been their suite of rooms.  
After a struggle Jo had managed to get up the winding staircase from the Great Hall and she and Dedra had fallen through the hidden doorway, exhausted in Jo's case and almost unconscious in Dedra's.  
All the while Jo had been glancing back over her shoulder expecting to see Obsequious jump out from around the corner. But the stairway had been empty every time, silent except for the sounds of their own footsteps on the stones and a few groaned expletives every now and then from her lips as she's struggled upwards. Every so often Dedra had managed to help and push himself upwards, leaning heavily on her all the same but he was supporting at least some of his body weight and gave her a brief chance to gulp at the air and try to steady herself before his fleeting energy surge faded and he slumped against her once more.  
Licking her lips and taking a deep breath she adjusted her grip on Dedra and they set off across the room towards the doorway which would take them up to Mithras' tower.  
Suddenly the world around Jo went grey and she stumbled, throwing her arms out to grab onto to something, anything, as she fell.

" I'm fine…" Aradia assured the worried faces in the tent with her as she struggled slightly to regain her footing.  
They had all watched in barely concealed horror as she had been speaking about how strangely she had been feeling and had then suddenly swooned towards the ground.  
" She thinks it might be something to do with Jo…" Glyndwr said quietly. One eye on the Princess, whose hand was being held tightly in his own; the other on Guillaume whose face filled with emotion at the mention of Jo's name.  
" It's a possibility…" Mithras agreed, keeping a concerned eye on Aradia. " A form of heightened empathy…"  
" So, you're saying Aradia's like this because Jo is…?" Guillaume demanded.  
" Sort of…although if Jo were to break her leg it wouldn't mean Aradia would too…she might experience a pain in her leg but that would be the extent of it…" Mithras started to explain.  
" So what Aradia's experiencing is just a _bit_ of what Jo's going through?" Guillaume exclaimed. " You're telling me that Jo is even _worse_ than she is…?"  
" Well…" Mithras faltered. " Probably…"  
" Well what are we waiting for then…? Dedra's had his hour…it's time for us to try…" Guillaume headed for the doorway of the tent but Martin appeared in his way.  
" Guillaume hang on a second…"  
" Get out of my way Guerre!" Guillaume growled.  
" You're not going to help anyone, least of all Jo, if you go charging in there without using your head…" Martin's tone was appeasing.  
" And what do you know about it?" came the angry challenge.  
" Guillaume I can appreciate that this is hard for you but-"  
" You have _no_ idea of what you're talking about! All my life I've had to struggle against people taking the thing and those people that I cared for away from me. My parents as a child, leaving me alone and friendless in a village of people who looked down on me! Bertrande by yourself when we were younger and now that _bastard_ in there is trying to do the same with Jo, _my_ Jo…" Guillaume's eyes sparkled with tears. " But unlike those times, I can actually _do_ something about it…I know Jo would do the same for me! I will _not_ lose her!"  
Martin sighed.  
" At least wait until we've managed to tell the Meanders and everyone else what's going on…" Martin laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. " I know you won't stop until you've freed Jo but you're really not going to get very far against the army of Obsequious all on your own…"  
Guillaume sighed and nodded.  
" Very well…"  
" But…what about Lina…?" Simon asked hesitantly. He had grown increasingly nervous as the hours passed and there was still no sign of her, or her people.  
" We cannot afford to wait any longer Simon," Guillaume replied harshly, before adding genuinely. " I'm sorry…"  
" They can't be too far away surely…" Simon continued.  
" Then they will join us on the other side of the walls soon enough…" soothed Aradia, slowly walking over to his side, Glyndwr holding onto her tightly. " A second wave of troops might make all the difference in this battle anyway…"  
An edgy silence followed. The friends held onto each other. Couples holding each others hands tightly. This was it. The moment they had been dreaded for so long now.  
" Better spread the word then…" Guillaume looked up with a heavy sigh before standing and heading out the tent with a determined stride. " We're going to enter the city…and we're going to do it _now_!"  
Word flew through the camp like wildfire and after what seemed an impossibly short amount of time, their army was stood waiting before the drawbridge into the city. Their swords, spears, bows and other weapons held in shaking hands as they stood waiting anxiously for the signal to storm the city.  
The friends, stood at the start of the drawbridge looked out over the mass of people before them.  
" Someone should say something…" Jerest murmured.  
" You offering…?" Aradia threw him a questioning glance.  
Jerest shook his head backing away slightly.  
" Don't look at me…far too big a crowd for my liking…stage fright, what can I say, it's a killer…"  
" Thanks…" Aradia rolled her eyes. " I suppose it's up to me then it is…although I don't really know what-"  
" I'll do it…"  
All eyes turned to Guillaume.  
" You will…?" Aradia did nothing to disguise the disbelief in her voice.  
Guillaume nodded and without another word, hauled himself up to stand on the end of the fence running over the drawbridge.  
" I…well…n-now that I'm up here…I-I'm not sure what I should say…" Guillaume stammered eventually. " _Jo_ would know…" He added sadly. He glanced down at his friends, all of whom were urging him with their eyes. He looked back over the people waiting for him to speak. Then something strange happened. It was as if words began to flow into his head. Words that stirred his heart and his spirit.  
When Guillaume spoke again his voice had a confidence that hadn't been there before. A quality that caused goosebumps to rise on the necks and the arms of the friends who had accompanied him from Artigat and beyond. Whether it was his words or the passion with which they were spoken but there was something in what he was saying that left Bertrande, Rosie, Lucy, Jenny, and many others, with tears of pride in their eyes.  
" I was born a poor man, just like each of you. Born to sweat and suffer as the poor must do. Working like a cart-horse, slaving in your fields but even when my back is breaking I will never yield. Bruised but never beaten. Cursed but never cowed. In the call of duty, I will make you proud…" Guillaume's voice carried over the hundreds stood anxiously before him. Many curious, many hundreds more frightened. Guillaume glanced back down at his friends and a gentle smile crossed his lips as he continued. " Martin, I knew your father…Bertrande, I knew yours too…men who stood for decency…" His gaze returned to the expectant sea of faces in front of him. " _Just_ the same as you…Sons, do not betray them. Daughters, do not fail. In the face of peril _goodness_ shall prevail! So stand up and be counted, rise above the crowd and say this in their memory, 'I will make you proud!'"  
Guillaume flung his arms out at his sides, throwing a dark glance at the occupied city and castle behind him.  
" Look around, can't you see what this world _could_ become? It is time we were cleansed of this evil scum! By the blood of our families, we will take up the sword! We will root out this cancer in the name of our world!"  
As he spoke he lay a hand over his heart for what he was speaking was true. This was _his_ world now too.  
" Every where is chaos, every where is doubt, every where is darkness, the time has come to burn it out!" Guillaume drew his sword. " In your hour of danger, vow as I have vowed, shout it from the rooftops…'I will make you proud!' Here I stand before you, my heart never unbowed, by the spirit of Vaniria…I swear, _I will make you proud_!"  
With that he thrust his sword high into the air and the cheer that arose was deafening. Every man, woman and child within earshot of Guillaume yelled their support.  
Guillaume stood frozen for a moment as the sound washed over him. The frightened and unsure faces were now alive. They were alive with passion and belief. Belief he had put there.  
He leapt down amongst the friends and with another rallying cry he began the charge over the drawbridge. Hundreds followed him. Their footsteps echoing thunderously on the wooden bridge as the army of the people surged into the walled city.  
The fight for their freedom had begun.


	64. PART 100

The word carnage some how didn't seem to come close to describing how it felt to be inside the city walls at that moment.  
The air was alive with noise and emotion. Panic. Anger. Fear. All jostled and fought in the atmosphere just as the various people fought below.  
Amongst all this energy and action, the feeling of death was all around. Weighing down each of them as another person fell to the ground, never to stand again. Whether they were friend or foe. No one could help but be touched by the madness that they were all facing.  
The friends had obviously caught Obsequious' men by surprise and they quickly had the advantage. Fighting their way through the buildings between the walls and the castle itself, they were constantly making progress. Within a few short, but scary, minutes they were within sight of the huge staircase that led the way into the castle.  
Meanders, Vanirians and Aesinians all fought side by side with the friends as they made they way towards the castle. Along the way they broke padlocks on houses and buildings, releasing the Vanirians who had been trapped inside.  
Guillaume swung his sword and smashed the lock on one building, throwing the door open such was the force of his blow.  
" Oh thank you, thank you…" The man, Guillaume assumed was the father of the family exclaimed as he stumbled outside. Followed by his wife, two teenage sons and a daughter of a similar age.  
" Think nothing of it…" Guillaume replied quickly. " If you are well and capable of holding a sword I would ask that you might join us…" The father and sons had already drawn their swords and nodded their agreement before heading to where the lastest battles were taking place.  
" She told me…she told me you would come…" The daughter cried, falling to her knees before Guillaume and kissing his hands thankfully.  
" Who…who told you…?" Guillaume's brow creased with confusion as he lifted the girl back onto her feet.  
" The Princess…they made me go and help her when she arrived…I could tell she was afraid but she tried not to show it…" The girl explained. A tingly feeling started to grow in his stomach.  
" Sounds like my Jo…" He sighed almost to himself. " What is your name…?"  
" Susannah…" The girl replied.  
" Susannah, I want you to do something for me, my name is Guillaume…" He tried to ignore the gasp that escaped her lips.  
" I can fight sir…" Susannah exclaimed. " My brothers taught me, I can fight as well as any man…"  
" I'm sure you can," Guillaume couldn't help but smile. " But for now, I would like you to do something else that is more important than fighting…I want you to find all the children that are younger and smaller than you and take them outside the city walls where'll they'll be safe…this is too scary a place for children now…can you do that for me…?"  
" Yes, sir…" Susannah beamed.  
" Go on then and I promise you and your family will be rewarded when this is all over…" Guillaume quickly kissed her cheek and pushed her gently.  
" Our freedom will be the greatest reward we could ever hope for!" The young girl beamed before disappearing into the crowd.  
Guillaume sighed and tightened his grip on his sword as he turned and headed back towards the castle.  
The friends had almost over powered the guards surrounding the castle, fighting now against those who had been posted at it's entrances.  
Guillaume ran up and saw that the main entrance was, for the moment at least, unguarded.  
" I'm going inside…!" Guillaume yelled.  
" We'll follow you as soon as we can…!" Martin shouted back as he defeated another of Obsequious' soldiers. " Take care, won't you…"  
" You too…" Guillaume smiled briefly before turning and running up the staircase and disappearing into the castle.  
Further away, in the square, a small group of Obsequious' soldiers seemed to be fighting back against Simon and a band of Meanders who had managed to get themselves trapped in a corner.  
Just as Simon was about to contemplate dropping his sword and trying the gun he had carried with him since they had left Jerusalem there was a sudden gust of wind and the air was filled with dust.  
Between the Meanders and Obsequious' soldiers appeared five winged warriors, whose bows and arrows quickly despatched them.  
Simon sagged with relief as the Crystallians smiled at him before taking off in search of others in need of their help. Two more Crystallians landed almost as soon as the others had taken off, one of whom hugged Simon so tightly he almost stopped breathing. But he didn't care.  
" I can't believe you didn't wait for me…" Lina exclaimed once she felt she had hugged him enough.  
" Well it wasn't really my choice to make-!" Simon started before being cut off by another bone crushing hug, this time from the other Crystallian. " It's good to see you too Adam…" Simon groaned once he'd been released again.  
" I'm very happy I can see you as well…" Adam beamed.  
" Where's everyone else…?" Lina asked, glancing among the fighting masses around them.  
" I think they were up near the castle…"  
" Then that's where I'd better head too…' Lina quickly kissed Simon hard before flapping her white and blue patterned wings and flying off towards the castle.  
Simon was so wrapped up in the sea of emotions that was swimming around him following her kiss that he didn't see the hulk of a soldier that was running towards him until the last minute. Sword raised high above his head.  
Simon froze as the sword swung towards him but it never connected. Someone else got there first.  
It was Adam.  
The soldier's sword struck Adam's shoulder near his neck, cutting him quite badly. With a roar that Simon never expected to hear from the usually placid Crystallian, Adam grabbed the sword and flung it away, breaking the soldier's arm quite effectively in the process causing him to sink to the floor in his own world of agony. No longer a threat.  
But as the soldier fell to the floor he flung out his arm one last time and caught the young Crystallian in the centre of his chest. Adam, caught unawares, was thrown back against the wall, his head hitting hit a very audible crack, even with all the noise in the air. Simon's relief quickly changed to fear as he watched Adam's eyes cloud slightly as he shook his head, massaging it slightly.  
" Are you alright?" Simon asked, his blue eyes concerned.  
" Yes, go on…follow Lina…" Adam smiled.  
Simon ran onwards following the others. Adam slid down the wall to sit down.  
He was afraid. His eyes wide as he looked around at the nightmare all around him.  
When Adam had been a child, and he had nightmares, he knew all he had to do was open his eyes and the nightmare would end.  
But his eyes were already open and the nightmare surrounded him completely. The noise, the pain, the fear. His whole body hurt, especially his shoulder, neck and his head and ever so much more than just a headache. He felt hot and cold at the same time. He hated this nightmare more than any other he had ever experienced.  
Maybe if he closed his eyes, the nightmare would go away.  
Adam closed his eyes…

Obsequious' head snapped up as the doors crashed open. Mild surprise on his face as his eyes fell on a stranger stood in the doorway. A stranger with long, chin length dark hair, falling in dampened waves over his brow and onto his shoulders; damp with what looked like sweat but judging by the stains to his open fronted tunic and skin it was probably blood. Two burning brown eyes blazed into his from the face before him and a long sword, also stained, in one hand. Obsequious had never seen the man before in his life but he instinctively knew from his appearance and the look on his face just who this angry young man was. Rising slowly from his seat on the throne Obsequious slowly drew his own sword and walked slowly towards the man, who was also advancing towards him with slow, deliberate strides.  
" I was wondering when you'd show up…" Obsequious muttered, running his fingers along the edge of his sword, lifting his eyes to look into those before him. " Guillaume…"  
" Where is she…?" Guillaume asked firmly and slowly.  
" Where's _who_?" Obsequious quirked a black eyebrow, suppressing a smirk as he watched Guillaume's expression become a shade darker.  
" You know perfectly well who I'm talking about, you bast-!" The young frenchman stopped and frowned as his eyes caught sight of something glinting on the floor. Kneeling down he scooped up something in his fingers and standing back up he examined it, shock now filtering onto his face. It was Jo's chain, the chain she had been given by Mithras. Guillaume's fist closed tightly around the chain as his eyes also noticed something else shining on the bright metal in his hand. Something dark. Something red. " What have you done with her…?" He finally managed to gasp out to the dark man before him.  
" Hmmm?" One of Obsequious' black eyebrows rose, giving his face an expression of challenge.  
" _What_ have you _done_ to her?" Guillaume demanded again, his breathing getting heavier as his rage rose steadily.  
" Nothing…" Obsequious replied. " Well, not too much…not _yet_ anyway…but there's still time…once the wedding is over we'll have all the time in the world…"  
Guillaume's entire body tightened with anger.  
" Oh I'm sorry…didn't you know…we're going to marry," Obsequious explained relishing the increasing anger showing in the young man before him. " I would invite you along but my bride-to-be seems to have enough pre-wedding jitters without having the added pressure of an ex there…you understand…"  
" You _are_ mad, and there was me just thinking it was your usual baddie legend…" Guillaume replied, regaining his composure slightly.  
Obsequious smiled dangerously at him.  
" Think that, if it makes you feel better…"  
" The only thing that's going to make me feel better…is killing you…" Guillaume replied bluntly.  
Obsequious sighed dramatically.  
" Why does everything have to end in violence…then again I suppose if you were gifted at birth with two helpings of brawn and only a half of brain then you'll know no other way of dealing with problems…"  
" So I still have a half brain advantage on you then…" Guillaume shot back instantly while grinning inwardly, it seemed the years of trading insults with Martin all those years was finally paying off.  
" That would be hurtful…if I was five…" Obsequious almost yawned back.  
" Well, if you're _not_ five than why are you acting like one? A spoilt little brat who's thrown his toy out of the cot and can't get his own way…" Guillaume asked, tipping his head on one side.  
" The joys of being an only child with no friends I suppose…but you'll know how that feels…" Obsequious taunted.  
" Not really, I have a whole family of friends and someone who loves me with all their heart…what do _you_ have…? An army of minions who only serve you out of fear and a whole _country_ of people who hate your guts…" Guillaume paused as if in thought. " I take back the question about the way you act. When I look at it it's not that surprising you act the way you do…"  
Obsequious' eyes narrowed.  
" Did you come in here with some purpose…other than attempting to insult me…?"  
Guillaume put his hands on his hips, chewing his lip slightly, giving the perfect display of someone who's trying to remember what it is they're supposed to be doing.  
" Hang on…it'll come back to me…" Guillaume rubbed his forehead before clicking his fingers in triumph. " I remember now…" His tone became darker. " I came to kill you…" With that, Guillaume drew his sword and walked slowly towards Obsequious who rose unhurriedly from his throne and walked down the steps to join him on the floor of the hall.  
" Come on then Guillaume…her _knight_ in shining armour…the _hero_ of our tale…come on…will you win the day and win the lady's hand…or end up a tragic martyr to love…" Obsequious goaded as he flicked his own sword from side to side slowly and purposefully like the tail of a rattlesnake.  
" You know that all this talking makes no difference to the fact that I think you're a prat…" Guillaume replied bluntly.  
" Another plain speaker…I can see why you and Jo get on…" smirked Obsequious.  
" Jo and I get on because, unlike you, she _loves_ me…and I love her…"  
" Oh do stop, you'll make me cry!"  
" I'll make you do more than _that_…" Guillaume spat.  
" Be my guest…Let's see if you last longer than she did…shouldn't be hard…" Obsequious sneered as a roar of pure fury and pain came from Guillaume and he charged, sword raised, straight for him.


	65. PART 101

Both men glared at each other as they knocked each others swords aside.  
They had been battling back and forth across the floor slowly, almost as if they were just warming up. Observing the way their opponent moved to help plan what they would do next.  
" You know you're not half _bad_ at this…" Obsequious admitted with the smallest amount of praise possible.  
Guillaume span his sword in his hands and twitched his eyebrows.  
" I know…"  
" But not so modest I see…" Obsequious scoffed.  
" Well you'd know _all_ about that…" Guillaume exclaimed.  
Obsequious gave him a thin smile.  
" Look, I know that none of this can be easy for you…" Obsequious started. " But I promise I will take care of Jo…"  
" Not before I've taken care of you!" Guillaume snarled as he leapt towards Obsequious once more.  
With a considerable effort, Obsequious managed to block Guillaume's sword and shove him aside.  
" Well I must give you your due, you've lasted longer than she did…"  
Guillaume's expression grew a shade or two darker.  
" I am going to ask you one more time…what have you done with her…?" Guillaume's voice was quiet and dangerous.  
" And I can only say again that I have done nothing…" Obsequious dark eyes flickered with amusement. " …yet…"  
" And if it's got anything to do with me, you never will either!" Guillaume promised as he charged once more.

Between them, Jo and Dedra had finally burst through the door at the top of the tightly winding staircase and into Mithras' room.  
Jo helped Dedra up onto an old chaise-longue, like a medieval doctor's table, slightly padded and lined with faded red velvet. Jo ran her hand along the soft material, this was where she had been brought when they had first arrived. When she had been in a similar state to the one Dedra was in now.  
Mithras had been able to help her back then and she was sure there would be something else here to help Dedra. There just _had_ to be.  
Jo turned around and leant back against the edge of the chaise-longue, sliding down to a crouch. She forced her mind back to that day she had come round in this very room. Guillaume holding her hand and Mithras hovering nervously in the background.  
She had drunk something, from a small phial. It had been brightly coloured. Red perhaps, or pink. She had watched vaguely as Mithras had replaced the cork stopper and replaced it inside a cupboard, or had it been a drawer. If that magical potion, whatever it had been, had been enough to bring her back from where she had been, dangling dangerously over the edge between this life and the next, then surely it would be able to help Dedra and herself now.  
With a heavy groan Jo pushed herself and looked around. There were cupboards and drawers all over the place.  
" Better get started then…" she told herself. Giving Dedra's hand a light squeeze Jo then stumbled across to the nearest desk, littered with paper and books and began to open the drawers, one after another. Searching for something she would only know when she saw it.  
She _had_ to find it, she just had to.

The sound of metal hitting metal echoed around the Great Hall as Guillaume and Obsequious fought each other.  
Beads of sweat forming along their brows as they moved back and forth across the floor.  
In a pause in their fighting, Guillaume wiped at his forehead with his sleeve, licking his lips. His body was tired, so very tired, but he knew that Jo would be even more so and he just knew she wouldn't give up on him and so he would not give up on her.  
Obsequious' eyes widened slightly as the doors opened and Aradia appeared.  
" Oh goody…I do _love_ an audience…" Obsequious said gleefully. " And such a regal one at that…!"  
The door opened once more and the rest of the friends appeared behind Aradia, most looking weary and their clothes stained with sweat and blood.  
" We've almost regained control of the city…" Lina bowed her head slightly to Aradia before embracing her tightly. " And it's good to see you again…"  
" Good to be seen," Aradia smiled before turning back to Obsequious. " You hear that?"  
Obsequious cocked his head on one side.  
" We've almost overcome your army!"  
" It's almost over…you might as well quit now, while you're behind…" Rosie added loudly.  
" Do you really think I need my army to be able to win today?" Obsequious asked, a manic twinkle appearing in his eyes.  
" Well…going on the way you look right now…yes…" Amos smirked.  
" Even if I must defeat you all one at a time…I will not lose this day…" Obsequious promised darkly. " Why not surrender now and save yourselves the pain and embarrassment of having to do it later…?"  
" Never. Because us surrendering…" Guillaume said firmly, forcing Obsequious to look back at him. " Is the _only_ way you're going to win…!"  
" We'll see about that, shall we…?" Obsequious' tone was patronising as he wiped his hand on his cloak before tightly gripping his sword again.  
" Yes, we will!" Guillaume replied smoothly before charging again. Obsequious dodged his attack and put his foot out as his opponent passed and caught Guillaume's ankle, tripping him and while he was regaining his balance, Obsequious struck.  
With an evil grin Obsequious jabbed his sword forward, catching Guillaume's upper right arm. Guillaume let out an angry hiss of pain and collapsed, his sword clanging down beside him. His left hand shaking as he held the wound. The material of his shirt quickly becoming damp with blood.  
Guillaume glowered at Obsequious as he struggled to his feet, clutching his arm. Pain dancing viciously up through his shoulder and neck.  
" Awww…did the poor country boy cut himself…?" mocked Obsequius before laughing loudly.  
Guillaume bit his lip as he looked down at his sword on the floor.  
There was no way he would get very far fighting with his left hand and with his right arm now injured as it was, it seemed this fight was over.  
To his surprise he watched as his sword was picked up and held high in the air. Light shining off of the blade as it's new owner moved it back and forth, feeling the weight of it and the way it moved. It was Aradia.  
" Well, well, well…" exhaled Obsequious watching as Guillaume staggered to the side of the room to be looked at by Mithras while Aradia advanced slowly. " Your majesty…" He bowed his head slightly.  
" And you're a pathetic waste of life…" Aradia replied coldly with no such incline of her head.  
" It seems this brave streak must run in the family…" Obsequious murmured wickedly, smiling as Aradia's delicate features hardened with barely concealed anger.  
" I'm proud that it does…" came Aradia's response, an obvious smirk on her lips.  
" I would've expected nothing less…" Obsequious purred. " However I feel I should give you the chance to reconsider this decision you've just made…put the sword down and walk away…I would hate to be responsible for yet _another_ accident involving a member of the royal family…"  
Aradia's eyes narrowed.  
" I think it's you who should reconsider…to be honest…" with that Aradia span the sword from hand to hand, causing a blur of polished material between them. She then flipped the sword up into the air where it turned over a few times before dropping back into her waiting hand. "Although I'd _love_ to be held responsible for an accident involving _you_…"  
" How generous of you but I feel that I should at least _try_ to stand up for myself…especially in what is to become my home…" Obsequious spoke calmly, deliberately trying to get a rise out of the young Princess.  
" _This_ will _never_ be your home…" Aradia replied slowly and firmly, tightening her grip on the sword ever so slightly.  
" Oh don't worry, my dear," Obsequious smirked, lifting up his own sword and pointing it at her. " You can always come and visit Jo and I whenever you want, as long as nothing happens between now and then…I'll make sure you're always welcome…"  
" Yeah…course you will…" Aradia said patronisingly as Obsequious ran at her.  
She blocked and deflected his blow, turning neatly on the spot to face him as he staggered to a stop and looked back at her.  
He ran again and once more he was knocked aside by another smooth flowing movement from the Princess.  
When Obsequious looked back the Princess looked so calm and collected it made him feel even more tired than he was. He ran a hand through his long black hair, maybe this _wasn't_ going to be as easy as he'd thought it would be.

Jo ran a hand through her hair, scowling at the room around her. This was definitely _not_ as easy as she'd hoped it would be.  
So far all she had managed to find had been several large spiders, who had scuttled away looking very annoyed with her for disturbing them, and lots of dust. She had been sneezing every few minutes, each one rattling her already aching head.  
With every moment that passed she was fighting an ever increasing urge to curl up somewhere and sleep. Her body felt a hundred times too heavy and her eyes were struggling to even stay open at times.  
Shaking her head a few times and taking a deep breath Jo turned to the next area of Mithras' room she was going to search.  
Desks littered with parchment and books, quills and bottles of every shape and size. And every one she had to pick up and examine, just in case it was the one she and Dedra needed.  
She would glance back every so often at Dedra, who looked worse with every passing minute. The crimson stain to his tunic had spread and now mingled with the crimson covering of the chaise-longue. His mouth was moving as if he was talking to himself though his eyes were closed and no sounds were coming out.  
Tearing her eyes away Jo looked back at the desk before her. Shifting her gaze upwards was a pair of cupboards. Tentatively she opened them to reveal shelf after shelf of phials and bottles. Hundreds of them.  
" Oh _great_…!" Jo groaned in a tone indicating it was anything but.  
One at a time she started pulling out the containers. Looking at each one for a label or some indication of what was inside it. Then as each one proved to be incorrect she dropped them to the floor. Some bouncing or rolling away. Some shattering. She didn't care. They didn't matter. She got faster and faster, at one stage just pulling out handfuls of phials, glancing at them then throwing them aside. None of them looked like the one she had drunk some of. She was sure it was the colour she would recognise rather then the bottle. But as she put her hand into the cupboard to withdraw more bottles to examine she froze. The cupboard was empty. It wasn't there.  
Leaning forward Jo rested her forehead on the middle shelf of the cupboard, fighting the urge to cry with frustration and trying to think where else Mithras might have put it.  
She lifted her head and turned back to Dedra before halting and turning back slowly to look at the cupboard. Something had caught her eye in the gloom. Something that was pink. Very pink actually, almost violently so. Right at the back of the cupboard and half hidden by a cobweb, not to mention coated with a generous layer of dust.  
" Yes!" Jo exclaimed joyfully reaching into the very back of the cupboard. " I think I've found it!"  
She withdrew her hand but the grin of triumph on her lips quickly faded.  
" Oh no…" She murmured raising a hand to rub her forehead. " _Now_ what do I do…?"


	66. PART 102

" Damn!" Jo kicked out at the wall, the phial in her hand was small and the amount of potion inside was even less. She wasn't sure if there would be enough for one of them but she was certain there wasn't enough for the both of them. She glanced over to where she had left Dedra. His face was pale and just by looking at him she knew he didn't have long left. She could give it to him but was there enough potion there to repair all the damage Obsequious had done. Then again if she took the potion and managed to find Mithras in time, surely he could make something, _anything_ to save him. Her gaze moved to rove over the mountains of scrolls and papers before her. Maybe there would be something there she could do _herself_…  
Movement over on the chaise-longue made Jo turn back to Dedra.  
" Where…?" He started to ask, his gravely toned voice sounding coarser than Jo had ever heard it. He started to sit up but the pain in his side forced him back down.  
" Oh don't…don't move…just lie still…" Jo moved over to his side. " I think I've found…" Her eyes strayed to the phial in her fingers. " I think I've found something that will help you…"  
Dedra shook his head. His eyes blinking slowly.  
" To help _you_, you mean…you mustn't worry about me…" He instructed. His cheeks were pale and the colour in his eyes seemed to be fading.  
" I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't worry…" Jo smiled gently, brushing some of his sandy hair off of his clammy forehead.  
" Then as a friend you should listen to me…"  
" I-I don't think I want to…" Jo replied, a nervous feeling entering her stomach.  
" You have to do whatever you can to make yourself better…"  
" I'm with you so far," Jo bit her lip nervously waiting for him to continue.  
" Then…then you must go and find the others…"  
Jo waited for a moment or two, expecting him to say more. But it was clear that was all he had in mind.  
" But I can't just leave you here…" Jo said quietly.  
" You have to…it's my time to-" Dedra replied but Jo cut him off.  
" Stop that, don't talk that way. It's not your time to do anything, except drink this and then help me figure out a way to get back down there and do what I have to do without collapsing of exhaustion halfway down the stairs…"  
His hand shaking, Dedra took her hand in his.  
" You don't realise do you. This castle is yours, this is _your_ kingdom…what's happening today is bigger than you or I…" He smiled. " All that matters is that you stop Obsequious from taking it all away…"  
Jo frowned. He was speaking the truth and she knew, deep in her heart, that she should do exactly what he was saying. But she couldn't. She just couldn't stand back and lose another friend.  
" Then promise me you'll hold on until I get back, it shouldn't take me too long to get rid of Obsequious and then…" Jo started loudly but her voice tailed off as Dedra shook his head slowly.  
" Jo…I can't…" His eyes were getting lower and lower, as was his voice. " I'm so tired…"  
" Oh Dedra, _no_…don't do this to me…" Jo's voice was broken as she tried to prop him up. " All you have to do is hold on…I'll get Mithras up here…" He reached up and laid his hand on her face.  
" They _need_ you Jo…you must go to them…" Dedra's voice was soft and his gravely tones sounded almost like purring.  
" I can't leave you like this…" Jo tried to swallow the lump that was rising sharply and painfully in her throat. " I _won't_!"  
" You can…and you must…" Dedra continued before pain shot through his body, making his entire body stiffen as the agony washed over him and his face became several shades paler.  
" Don't leave me like this…I've only just found you…"  
" And I promise I'll never be far away…but now you must go, Jo…go and do what you were born to do…"  
" No, can't do it, sorry. You saved my life at least once, I have to pay you back!" Jo tried to sound as nonchalant as she could. A faint smile passed over Dedra's mouth.  
" You've already saved me more times than you'll ever know…" He sighed gently as his hand slid from her face and his turquoise eyes slowly closed.  
" Dedra…?" Jo tentatively shook his shoulder and snatched her hand back when there was no response, stifling a cry. She shook her head, trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall, as she stood and looked down at his face. " Goodbye…goodbye my friend…" She leant over him and gently kissed his forehead. " I'm going to miss you…" Jo whispered before moving back and laying his cloak over him carefully.  
She stood in silence for a moment, trying to gather together both her thoughts and what remained of her strength. A tear rolled slowly down her cheek as her eyes shifted from Dedra to the phial in her hand. She roughly rubbed the tear away and took a deep, steadying breath.  
" This is it…" She said suddenly. " Bottom's up!" Jo yanked the stopper from the phial and downed its contents. A sharp pain shot through her, making her drop the phial and grab at the table for support. Her entire body was shaking and Jo couldn't help but think that, perhaps, she hadn't found the right potion. The pain drove her to her knees, her already tearstained cheeks now wet with fresh tears; but these were tears of pain. A searing heat filled her bones like molten metal and every muscle in her body felt as if they were being simultaneously torn to shreds. She clutched at the chaise-longue as she fell to floor, curling up with her knees to her chest, trying to catch a breath to stop herself drowning in this sea of pain that was washing over her.  
Then, as Jo let out a cry of agony, the pain stopped as suddenly as it had started. It took a few moments for Jo to realise that she no longer felt as if she was being ripped apart from the inside. Shakily she got to her feet and shook her head. The giddiness, the weakness and the pain all seemed to have faded away. She moved over towards the wall and glanced in the mirror hanging there.  
The cuts and bruises had vanished from her face, her eyes were sparkling once again and her face was no longer pallid. And even though it was her face looking back from within the glass, she almost thought she was looking at a stranger. Her hair seemed darker than it had been before, her eyes a deeper shade of green. She shook her head again but the face before her didn't change.  
A small smile began to form on her lips but was stopped as the sounds of fighting filtered in through the window. Dashing over to the open window she looked down, the streets of Vaniria were full of fighting people, but it seemed as if the army of Obsequious was on the loosing end, Vanirians, Aesinians, Meanders and Crystallians were all fighting together and looked to be winning. With a slight frown Jo walked back over to where she had left Dedra. Carefully she drew his sword and held it in front of her.  
" I think it's time I made an appearance…" She muttered before turning and heading back down through the secret passageway to the Great Hall. She hadn't gone more than a few stairs down when she nearly tripped over the hem of her dress. She yanked up the skirt but there was no belt to tuck it into. Somehow managing to contain the urge to swear she tried to think of a solution. With a wry grin she slid the sword under the hem. " Oh well…" She groaned quietly as she ripped through the material with the sword. " I never did like dresses anyway!" Now, with a large rip up the front of the skirts she could move quite quickly and she broke into a quick run down the winding stairs. Halfway down the stairs she paused again as a sudden pain jabbed in her shoulder, " What the…?" She groaned as the pain began to fade and, spotting the forest green ribbon still tied around her wrist, realisation dawned on her. " Aradia!" Doubling her speed Jo continued down the stairs as quickly as she could, with one thought on her mind. Revenge.

There was pain. Sharp and searing. Glancing down, Aradia realised Obsequious' sword had stabbed her shoulder. Half in shock, she stumbled backwards and, tripping over her feet, she fell. Aradia skidded backwards along the floor as her sword fell out of her hand and skidded away in the opposite direction. Her eyes narrowed in pure anger at Obsequious and from the pain that was now throbbing in her shoulder where his sword had pierced her flesh. Looking up from the blood soaked material she saw his smug face leering down at her.  
" As well as you fought, it seems that you're no match for me _either_…" He purred as he advanced with his sword raised high. " Oh well, one down…only your _sister_ to finish off now…" With an evil smirk he reached her. Aradia merely looked up at him although she had to blink a few times because she was _sure_ she had seen a tapestry on the far side of the hall moving behind him. " It's a shame Jo wasn't here to see this…she would probably have tried to save you just like she does everyone else…even though she would have failed…again…" He began to swing the sword down towards her. Aradia cringed and tightly shut her eyes, waiting for the blade to connect but it never came. A muffled thud and an angry expletive coming from her right made her open her eyes. Obsequious was now sprawled across the floor, trying desperately to get to his feet.  
"That's not strictly true though, is it…?" A voice to their left said. The eyes of everyone shifted and gasps echoed in the hall. Stood, with Dedra's sword in her hand and pure anger glowing in her eyes, was Jo.  
Obsequious seemed temporarily lost for words as he merely opened and closed his mouth a few times, staring at her. Jo grinned.  
" Now you didn't seriously think I'd not _finish_ what _you'd_ started did you…?" Jo quirked an eyebrow as Obsequious slowly stood up in front of her  
Behind them, Glyndwr and Martin had dashed across and were carefully moving Aradia away and out of harms reach.  
" My dear Jo…" Obsequious began before Jo dealt him a swift backhander across his face.  
" How many time do I have to tell you…I'm _not_ your dear…" Jo's eyes blazed at him as he stood lost for words once again.  
" Perhaps, her _highness_ should consider the consequences of what she's doing…" Obsequious said darkly, his black eyes glaring at her.  
" Is that a threat?"  
" More of a warning…"  
" What of?" Jo demanded.  
" Do you seriously think that beating me today will end all of this…?" Obsequious all but laughed. " This is merely the beginning…there will be more fighting…there will be more killing…" His eyes narrowed. " How many more of your people are you willing to sacrifice for your own happiness…?"  
" Be careful…you're on _my_ ground now…" Jo warned menacingly.  
" You know I won't stop until I get what I want…" Obsequious appeared to ignore her words. " And the only one preventing me from getting it is you…"  
" You know me…_stubborn_ as ever," Jo replied harshly. " Especially when it comes to my life and the lives of my people!"  
" All you have to say is yes, Jo, and I swear…the war will be over…" His face became more open but Jo's stance remained the same. " Just come with me and your _friends_ can keep Vaniria…they can keep it all…all I want is you…"  
" You're mad!" Aradia laughed nervously from the sidelines.  
" A life with me can't be all that bad surely," Obsequious' tone was so charming. "One word and all the fighting will stop…"  
" Tempting…very tempting…" Jo clenched her jaw grimly, " But no!" With that she charged at him, his sword deflecting hers almost casually but he obviously hadn't counted on her left fist smashing across his jaw as she passed him before turning to charge once again. " That's for Mithras." Jo snarled, pushing some hair behind her ear watching with a slight grin as Obsequious reached up to tentatively touch his stinging lip, pulling away fingers sticky with blood.  
Mithras found himself trying to suppress a rather large grin as he applied a bundle of clean material to the wound in Aradia's shoulder.  
Metal clashed against metal as the two fought each other. Neither taking their eyes from those of their opponent.  
" Give up Jo," Obsequious yelled as one of his blows nearly disarmed her. " Remember what I offered you…your life for theirs…stop fighting me and no one else has to get hurt…"  
" And then what…live my life under your _control_…?" Jo spat. " I'd rather _die_ right here and now than hand my _friends_ and my _people_ over to you!" She thrust her own sword forward and there was a rip as it tore through his cloak.  
" You'll _pay_ for that," He snarled. " You _and_ your people…"  
" So you keep threatening," Jo's voice was loud once again as her sword clanged against his, " And yet I still don't believe you!" She smiled briefly as her sword ripped through the other side of his cloak. Obsequious opened his mouth,  
" You'll p…" He started but Jo's voice cut him off.  
" Yeah, yeah, I know, I'll pay for that too…" She rolled her eyes, " You know, you _really_ need to think about extending your vocabulary!"  
Obsequious yanked off his ripped cloak, tossing it aside as he readied himself to attack once more.  
" Don't worry, I'll buy you a thesaurus, so that when you're rotting away in some filthy dungeon somewhere, you'll be able to find a new way every day to describe your torment! That is, I mean…" She looked concerned for the briefest moment, " You can _read_ can't you…?" Jo winked as Obsequious' puffed up in anger.  
" Is she _always_ like this…?" Jerest asked Glyndwr, one pale eyebrow raised above a definite smirk.  
" Oh yeah," Glyndwr nodded, grinning broadly at his cousin, before returning his eyes to the fight before them. " Great isn't it?"  
Jo was forcing Obsequious backwards, his feet only just managing to avoid each other as he was forced to retreat and try to keep deflecting the sword that was attacking him constantly from in front of him.  
" You know what…I just realised something…" Jo exclaimed with a groan as her sword locked with Obsequious' and she threw hers up in an effort to break them apart once again. The force of the movement throwing them both backwards several steps. The pair of them just glared at each other as they fought to catch their breath, both pairs of eyes glittering madly.  
" And what is this startling revelation of yours…your _majesty_?" Obsequious demanded, swinging his sword at Jo's head, forcing her to duck out of the way.  
" Nice try," She smirked standing upright again and sending a blow of her own his way before she continued. " What I realised was…I…"  
" You what?" He snapped.  
" I owe you something…" Jo groaned again as their swords locked and he pulled her close to him.  
" And what is that…?" He asked, their faces inches apart.  
" This…!" Jo exclaimed before head butting him in the nose.  
He fell backwards, taking his sword with him. Holding one hand up to his stinging nose and watering eyes.  
" What the _hell_ was that for…?" Obsequious demanded, looking furiously at her.  
" Dedra." Jo said darkly.  
His black eyes narrowed and he charged at her but she deflected his blow almost easily before bringing the handle of her sword down on his back as he passed.  
" I owe you _that_ one for Phillipe…"  
Obsequious arched his back, hissing like a squashed snake as he turned to face her. His eyes little more than black slits, oozing fury and pain, as he charged at her again.  
" That's for…Guillaume…" Jo continued as Obsequious reeled backwards from her next blow to his nose. Jo brought her knee up sharply and Obsequious' eyes watered as he collapsed to his knees. " That's for Aradia…and this one, this one's for me…" Jo reached back and with everything she had left in her, she swung out and punched his across the jaw once again. He head snapped back as he continued to fall to the ground, trying desperately to hold himself up on his sword.  
Jo charged forwards meaning to knock him down but he suddenly straightened up and pulled from behind him a dagger. Jo quickly reached up and grabbed hold of his wrist, using all her energy to hold it up in the air.  
" Give in Jo…" He murmured in her ear as they struggled. " I don't want to hurt you, really I don't, but believe me I will if I have to…"  
" You've already hurt me so much," Jo replied, tightly through clenched teeth as she struggled to keep the dagger away from her. " Why should I doubt that you won't do it any more…?"  
" I never _meant_ to hurt you…" Obsequious replied, sounding genuinely sorry for a second or two.  
" Well you _did_!" Jo's foot slipped on the stone floor and the dagger jerked down towards her.  
" Why can't you forgive me…?" Freezing for a moment, holding the knife above her, his eyes looking deeply into hers.  
" To forgive someone they have to be truly sorry…sorry for their actions…" Jo could see the blade was getting ever closer. " You've never been sorry for anything in your life…"  
" Then teach me…help me find the compassion you've helped others find…"  
" No!" With that Jo shoved her hand higher and stepped back.  
With what might have been a muttered apology, Obsequious raised the dagger slightly higher and began to bring it down towards Jo.  
She gasped slightly but kept her eyes on his. She would not flinch. Not now.  
Then there was a muffled growl and a groan.  
Billabong ran across the hall, bowling straight into the backs of Obsequious' legs. The dagger fell to the floor with a clatter and Obsequious lost his balance. Arms flailing he fell to the floor where he landed with a groan. For a moment or two he didn't move. Jo hung back, fearing a trick to make her go closer and risk her safety one more. But then he moved to the side and it was clear what had happened. He had fallen onto his own blade, crimson stains to his sword and to the floor evidenced this.  
Jo stood over him, his body shaking in pain and his mouth frantically trying to speak.  
" It's over, it's _all_ over…" Jo finally managed to say as she looked down at the pathetic form below her; from which life was slowly ebbing away. Suddenly, Obsequious kicked out with what was left of his strength, catching the back of Jo's legs and Jo felt herself loosing balance as she collapsed beside him. Thrown by this last attempt of his, Jo barely even realised as he reached out and hauled her towards him.  
" This…is _far_ from over…" He gargled in her face, a twisted smile on his face as he pulled her even closer. " My power will not die today…even if _I_ do…" Jo's eyes narrowed in confusion briefly before opening wide as his arm jerked under her and she felt a sharp pain in her side. Reaching down, she could feel blood. Pulling herself up and away from him she looked down and saw the dagger once again in his hand. A brief frown crossed her brow as the wound twinged before her face became as solemn as it had been before.  
She opened her mouth to speak but their eyes locked just as the last breath of life left him and Jo could of sworn that in that last look that they shared she saw a combination of fear, anger and confusion.  
With that, Obsequious died.


	67. PART 103

For a few moments no one moved. No one spoke and there was hardly a breath expelled while everyone waited. Unsure of what had happened before them.  
Suddenly, there was a groan as Jo rolled backwards onto the floor. Guillaume was at her side instantly, grasping her hand.  
" Jo, are you alright…I thought, oh I don't know what I thought…" He exclaimed gently as he sat down and pulled her up to lean back against him, wrapping his uninjured arm around her tightly.  
" I'm fine…" Jo's voice was breathy. " Just…just need to get my breath back that's all…"  
" Well you look _fine_, but I think you need to do slightly more than 'get your breath back'…" Mithras' voice, edged with sarcasm, came from nearby, as he looked at her wound. " It's serious but not _too_ bad…you've had worse! We should get it looked at, sooner rather than later though…Guillaume, Glyndwr, will you help me lift…"  
" Mithras, I _said_ I'm fine…!" Jo's voice was suddenly more determined as her eyes met his. A smile twitched at his lips as he bowed his head slightly and moved away.  
" Yes…your majesty," He added gently. Jo smiled briefly before continuing and apparently choosing to ignore his comment.  
" Is he…you know…for certain…?" Jo nodded over at Obsequious, whose still form was laying close-by. Mithras moved over to it as the others grouped around them. The tutor reached out and felt Obsequious' neck for a pulse and after a moment or two he removed his hand and turned back to the friends clustered behind him.  
" He's dead…Obsequious is dead…"  
Silence smothered them once again, but this was one of relief. Relief too great to be put effectively into words.  
" Oh thank heavens…" Bertrande sighed eventually.  
A jubilant shout rang through the air as the friends embraced one another.  
Guillaume kissed Jo's forehead as she sagged in his arms.  
It was over. She could finally relax knowing that had seen through the promise she had made in this very castle. A promise that had nearly cost her everything she cared for, her friends, her freedom, even her life, had been fulfilled.  
Hugs and kisses were exchanged all around the group of friends who had all experienced so much since the start of their journey. Tears and smiles mingled together as realisation washed over them all.  
Mithras frowned and looked around.  
" Wasn't Dedra in here with you…?" Mithras asked Jo whose face lost it's smile.  
" Yes, he _was_…" Jo sighed.  
" So where is he now?" Rosie asked.  
" He's in Mithras' room…" replied Jo.  
" What on earth is he doing up there…?" came the somewhat shocked reply from the tutor.  
A tear fell from Jo's eye.  
" Jo what happened…?" Guillaume asked softly, stroking her hair as he held her close to him. " What did he do…?" A tone of warning entered his voice.  
" He _saved_ me, believe it or not but he did…"Jo took a deep breath, " He was going to help me escape, bring me out to you lot but Obsequious came in before we could do anything. Dedra stood up to Obsequious, begging him to let me go…they fought but Obsequious stabbed him and even though I held Obsequious off long enough to disapparate and get the pair of us upstairs…there was nothing I could do…" Jo hung her head, letting out a deep sigh. " I lost another friend…"  
" I'm sure it wasn't your fault…" Guillaume whispered gently, slightly surprised to feel a pang of sadness within his heart at the news.  
The doors flew open as a Meander almost fell over himself to get in as quickly as possible, a Crystallian elegantly entered by his side.  
" We have regained control of the city my friends, the battle is over…" The Meander exclaimed joyfully.  
Smiles crept slowly back onto the faces of the friends. The Crystallian made his way over to Lina, bowing his head as he approached.  
" Your highness," he began quietly and regretfully. " One of us has fallen…"  
Lina swallowed back a gasp and urged him to continue.  
" It is Adam…"  
This time Lina could not hold back her reaction as her hand went to her mouth and her dazzling blue eyes sparkled with tears.  
" Oh no…" Simon groaned, wrapping his arms around Lina tightly as she buried her head in his shoulder. " It's my fault…"  
" How could it be…?" Lina sniffed.  
" He fought off some of Obsequious' men and was injured in the process…and just left him, I asked him if he was alright but he told me to go on…I just left him there…" Simon whispered, swallowing hard against a lump in his throat.  
" At least we have come out of this with a victory…at least no one died in vain…" Mithras reasoned as the mood became solemn once more.  
Jo hissed as she tried to stand up as the wound in her side, Guillaume held her closer and laid her back down.  
" Let me go and fetch a dressing for that cut…" Mithras wasn't asking. Jo sighed and rolled her eyes, waving for him to go.  
" I'm fine, really…" She argued to his retreating back, " And what are you lot staring at…?" Jo demanded of the friends around her, all stood with smirks on their faces.  
" Nothing…" Mark grinned. " Your highness…" He added with a grin so wide it threatened to split his face completely in two.  
" Now you can all pack that lark in right now!" Jo said firmly. " I'm still me, I'm no different than I was before…"  
" Yeah, yeah, sure…no different at all, exactly the same person…" Rosie agreed before adding wickedly. " But with _power_!"  
Jo rolled her eyes.  
" So, do we have to like bow and all that now…" Jenny asked as innocently as she could, although the mischievous sparkle in her eyes meant she didn't quite pull it off.  
" If you ever, _ever_ bow before me…_any_ of you…" Jo looked at each of her friends stood before her and smiled wryly. " I'll have you beheaded for treason!"  
Laughter rang out in the hall as noise near the entrance made them all turn around.  
Mithras stood just inside the hall, looking slightly breathless and with a strange kind of knowing smile on his face.  
" Well are you coming in or what…?" Lucy smiled.  
" Yes," replied the young tutor without moving.  
" I thought you were desperate to get this wound seen to…" Jo smirked. " What's stopping you…"  
" It's just, well, there's…someone here to see you…" Mithras could barely contain the grin on his face as he stepped to the side to reveal who was stood behind him.  
Two turquoise eyes sparkled as they looked back at the friends.  
" Dedra!" Jo exclaimed, joy ringing in her voice as he limped as quickly as he could across the hall to collapse beside her. They wrapped each other up in a tight embrace. " Oh thank god…But I thought you were…"  
" You need to ask Mithras about that…not me…?" Dedra grinned, sitting back on his heels.  
" Well what was I supposed to do…just leave him lying there in my room…? He would really have started to get in the way after a while…" Mithras grinned. " In your hurry you passed over several potions that could have helped Dedra long before he fell unconscious but then again you never _did_ pay any real attention in my lessons did you?" Jo squirmed slightly uncomfortably. " But you clean up after yourself next time…its going to take me hours to sort out all those potions again…" He continued with a martyred tone until Jo reached up to grab the bottom of his tunic and pulled him down towards her, quickly kissing his cheek.  
The tutor stood up, a hazy smile on his face and pink starting to flood into his cheeks.  
" Thank you Mithras…" Jo smiled.  
" You're welcome," Mithras sighed as he quickly applied the dressing in his hands to Jo's wound.  
" I thought I'd lost you too…" Jo said once Mithras had moved aside and her eyes met Dedra's once more.  
" You weren't the only one," Dedra smirked.  
They hugged one another once more before Guillaume helped Dedra to his feet and offered his hand.  
" I…I was wrong about you…" Guillaume said honestly as they shook hands.  
" I don't blame you for it," Dedra smiled. " I was in a pretty dark place when you met me and now…thanks to Jo and you…I'm not there any more…"  
Aradia then stepped forwards and knelt down beside Jo. The two of them sat in silence for a moment just looking at each other, as if they had never seen the others face before. The friends stood around them quietly.  
" How's your shoulder…?" Jo asked.  
" I'll live…" Aradia replied.  
" Oh good…" Jo responded.  
" How's your side…?" Aradia asked.  
" I'll live…" Jo replied.  
" Oh good…" Aradia responded.  
There was a definite air of awkwardness around the pair of them. Jo looked down, obviously trying to find the right words to explain how she felt.  
" Oh…" She suddenly exclaimed. "…I have something of yours…" Jo eventually managed to say, carefully untying the ribbon from around her wrist. " I've been looking after it…"  
" Thank you…" Aradia said quietly, taking the ribbon into her own hands. " I wondered what had happened to it…"  
The two looked at one another once more, this time smiles twitching at the corners of their mouths.  
" I have only question…" Jo said seriously.  
" What…?" Aradia gestured for her to go on, her expression slightly nervous.  
" Are you going to be one of the those mean big sisters or one of the good ones, who's more like a friend…?"  
Aradia laughed and the two of them hugged.  
" Friend, definitely a friend!"  
Once they had parted, Guillaume came back to Jo's side and, after helping her onto her feet, he laced his fingers into hers, smiling softly.  
" So, now that the big bad baddie is dead, his army defeated, the city and it's people liberated…what do we do now…?" Amos asked.  
" Reassemble this crystal I suppose…" Mark shrugged, glancing at Mithras hopefully.  
" Sounds good to me…" Mithras smiled back.  
" Great but before we do anything, there's something else _very_ important that I have to do…" With that Jo wrapped her arms around Guillaume and pulled him close. " I haven't said hello to you for days…" She whispered while the friends made a concerted effort to turn the other way, many taking a sudden interest in the tapestries on the walls.  
" I've missed you too…" Guillaume sighed, running a hand around the side of her face.  
" Ah but I've missed you _more_…" Jo grinned.  
" Don't start…" groaned Guillaume.  
" Sorry…" Jo apologised although it seemed nothing would remove the grin from her face.  
" Just do me one thing…"  
" Depends what it is…" Jo lifted one eyebrow curiously.  
" Love me for always, don't leave me again…and kiss me, please…"  
" …now?"  
" Yes please…" Guillaume's brown eyes sparkled mischievously.  
" Anything you say sweetheart…"smiling softly Jo pushed herself up onto her toes and they kissed.


	68. PART 104

A few days later the sun was shining merrily above them as the friends travelled to the border between Vaniria and Aesina.  
The air was warm but it was clear from a slight chill on the wind that Autumn would soon be on the way. A change of season that seemed apt for a changing world. The leaves would soon start to fall from the trees, heralding winter and its darkness. But a darkness that would bring light with the Spring and, for the first Spring in many years, with it would also bring a chance for rebirth of more than just plants and creatures. A rebirth of the people, their homes and lives. A rebirth of peace. A rebirth of justice.  
The friends were heading to an ancient stone circle that now marked the separation of the two countries but had once been at the centre of the old world, the place where the crystal had been broken into it's pieces so many hundreds of years before.  
According to all the documents and myths that Mithras had been able to lay his hands on, the crystal must be reassembled in the same place in order to fulfil the legend. This would then ensure that the power contained the crystal would remain a positive force, that would in turn by harnessed by all of those present.  
They rode onwards and as the sun began to set, they all felt a similar sense of something very mystical as they spotted the stone circle on the horizon.  
The tall angular stones rising up towards the sky as they rode closer. The sun setting behind them causing long dark shadows to reach out and greet them.  
In silence they dismounted and walked up the rest of the slight rise that led up to the circle as if obeying some unspoken command.  
The stone circle was on the top of a slight rise in the land and yet when the friends stood in the middle they could see for so far in all directions it felt as if they were on top of the world. In the distance they were sure they could make out Vaniria's castle in the North, and it's ruined twin in Aesina in the South.  
The sky was bathed in light pinks and purples as the sun slid gracefully down towards the skyline in the West.  
" It's so beautiful…" sighed Bertrande, breaking the silence after they had all spent several moments in awe looking around them.  
" It's so peaceful…" agreed Lucy, a soft evening breeze dancing among them and stirring their cloaks.  
The huge granite stones seemed to sparkle in the fading sunlight, the quartz within them adding even more magic to the scene.  
" So…am I right in assuming we just all hold a piece, count to three or something and then push them together…?" Rosie asked once they had all assembled in a circle within the stones.  
" Pretty much," grinned Mithras.  
" And then what happens…?" Martin asked.  
" Well, having never done this before," Mithras admitted. " I can only go on the reports of what happened when the crystal was broken…"  
" Which was…?" prompted Marius.  
" A big flash of light by all accounts and…well, that's about all I can remember…"  
" Flash of light…sounds ok…" Mark repeated to himself.  
" Nothing brave adventurers like us can't handle I'm sure…" laughed Bertrande.  
" Well we've come all this way, shouldn't we get on with it?" Simon's young face wore a cheeky smile causing those amazingly blue eyes of his to sparkle even more.  
The friends agreed and unpacked all of the crystals they had collected along the way, each of them holding the ones they themselves had carried over the course of their journey. Mark held the one they had been given by Alvejan, Lucy holding the one she found in the lake on the way the mountains and Amos the one he had won under them. Next to him stood Jenny, tightly clutching the one she had recovered from underneath the 'Thundering Falls' along with Lina holding one of the two pieces she had been given by the elders in Crystallia, Martin held the other. Bertrande had the one she had managed to get from the Unicorn on the plains and Marius was holding the one he had riddled out of the Dragon, Erensuge, in the desert. Simon held the sword he had found in the Aesinian vault and Guillaume had the crystal pendant that they had finally gotten from Obsequious.  
" Here goes nothing…" Jo said with a smile, watching as they all put their pieces together and closed their eyes.  
There was a pause.  
A long pause.  
Jo reopened her eyes and looked around at everyone else.  
" Erm…I hate to state the obvious here, but am I the only one thinking nothing's happening…?"  
Frowns fluttered over all of their faces.  
" I don't know why though…we've got all the pieces haven't we…?" Aradia asked no one in particular.  
" We got all the ones on the map," replied Mark, not really answering.  
" Plus the ones in Crystallia and the one Obsequious had…" Guillaume added, he was still holding Obsequious' pendant tightly in his hand.  
" Well something's obviously not right…" Marius sighed, lowering his piece.  
" Let's say for argument sake that were more pieces…where would they be?" Lucy tried to reason.  
A thoughtful silence filled the air.  
" I still can't believe that there weren't pieces in the castle's, I mean, that the Kings and Queens weren't looking after some…" Lina admitted.  
" They were…" Mithras exclaimed, hurriedly rifling through his bag of parchment and pulling out a particularly tatty piece. He read down it silently, his mouth saying the odd word out loud until he shouted a loud, " A-ha!" and jabbed a finger onto the parchment.  
" I'm guessing that was an 'a-ha' of discovery…" Jo smirked.  
" Listen to this, 'When the crystal was broken the large sections were divided between the wise ones of each community,'" read Mithras, " Hence them being spread across the country, 'the remaining dust was then used to create two much smaller crystals which were kept by the eldest wise one…'" Mithras looked up with excitement dancing in his eyes. " He then passed them on and so on…and then they were eventually given to the monarchs of Vaniria and Aesina…"  
" As much as I hate to say this Mithras," Martin said slowly, " But you still haven't told us where these missing crystals are…"  
" Your engagement rings…" Mithras exclaimed looking eagerly at Rosie and Jo simultaneously. " The missing pieces are in them…"  
" Well, Jo's was found in Aesina so I can understand that being a piece but mine…?" Rosie asked sounding completely bewildered.  
" _Your_ ring belonged to Eos. When she heard of your engagement story and how long you and Marius have been waiting to get married she instructed me to give her ring to Marius. I never even considered that she meant it as more than just a gift…" Mithras smiled. " The safest way to of ensuring it wasn't discovered was to not reveal it's existence in the first place…"  
" How can you be sure though…?" Marius enquired, his large brown eyes flitting from the ring on his wife's finger to the tutor's excited face.  
" I've an idea…" Jo answered for him, pulling off her own ring and peering carefully inside the band. " Rosie, see if you can see any writing…"  
" Like on my sword you mean…?" Simon asked, catching on to Jo's meaning.  
" Basically…" Jo craned her head as she slowly turned the ring in her fingers, trying to use the dying sunlight to see. " I think…hang on, I think I've got something… 'un tesson de lumière en cet anneau pour banir la nuit et le mal qu'il apporte'…well this talks of banishing the night and the evil it brings…but if you change ring for sword, so 'anneau' for 'épée', then it's basically the same as was on your sword Simon…" Jo smiled.  
Rosie looked up with excitement dancing in her eyes.  
" It's written in mine too…"  
Without another word, Rosie held out her ring towards the centre of them all. Jo did the same almost simultaneously.  
The friends took another deep breath and moved forwards.  
Suddenly it felt as if all the pieces were being draw together, the friends let go as the individual pieces leapt together in mid air and began to rose slowly above them. There was a tinkle as the two rings, now devoid of their crystals and the sword without it's impressive hilt decoration fell back to earth but no one really paid attention. Their eyes were fixed on the slowly spinning crystals above them.  
Then there was a bright flash of light that seemed to be every colour at once as the friends turned away and shielded their eyes.  
The light shot up into the sky and then faded almost as quickly as it had appeared, it was followed almost immediately by a powerful and warm wind that seemed to blow up from within the crystal itself, swirling around each of them gently before shooting out between each of the stones and across the land. The power of the crystal being carried further than any wind had gone before, bathing the land in it's power and warmth.


	69. PART 105 AND AFTERWORD

As one of them had said, so long before it seemed, " You have to see the sunset, watch the death of a day before you can see a dawn and a new beginning come." They had watched the sunset, seen with their own eyes the death of not just a day but of an era and now it was up to them to see that the dawn about to break upon the horizon wasn't wasted. To ensure that the hope, light and love it brought were felt by all and that the changes that came with the sunrise were not stifled as they had been before but encouraged and allowed to happen.  
A year quickly passed and twelve short months after their quest had ended in the stone circle, the world around it was a very changed place and so were all of the friends.  
Both Kingdoms of Aesina and Vaniria had come together for two joyous celebrations over the course of the year. The first had been two months after the end of the Quest. The marriage of Aradia and Glyndwr, it had taken place in Aesina and it felt as if the entire population had tried to crowd into the city to see it.  
The ceremony had been performed down by the lake beside the castle, the lake itself covered with hundreds of boats with yet more of the loyal subjects of Aesina crammed into them. Golden leaves falling from the trees and providing a constant natural confetti for the everyone to walk through.  
The ceremony itself had been conducted by Alvejan and Aradia had been given away by Mithras. Glyndwr had looked as handsome it seemed possible for a man to be, Jerest stood by his side wearing a smile so broad it threatened at times to outshine the ones worn by Aradia and Glyndwr, handing over the rings when that part came. But then again, his smile never really came close.  
The second had happened a few months later with the arrival of Spring, the formal coronation of both Aradia and Jo, once again conducted by Alvejan. This had taken place in the stone circle, Glyndwr and Guillaume had stood and watched as Aradia and Jo had knelt and been crowned one after the other amongst the stones. Both swearing their devotion to the countries they were now to rule and promised to do so with dignity, compassion and courage.  
And now, as the Summer once more began to fade into Autumn, the friends were in many different places.  
Aradia and Glyndwr returned to live in Aesina, as King and Queen. The people of the city and surrounding countryside who had been forced away by the destruction of the city years before, now returned to help rebuild it along with the help of the Meanders. Within a year, the castle and it's city had almost been completely restored to their former glory, the city was once again full of life and thriving. The castle was also brimming with joy and life in the middle of the Summer as Aradia and Glyndwr celebrated the birth of their first child. A little boy, whom they called Phillipe.  
They were not the only royal couple to be celebrating parenthood by the end of the year. Lina and Simon, who had returned to Crystallia, were enjoying their own children. Twins, with their parent's blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes along with miniature wings like their mother's; who they named Adam and Mary, after two old friends. One who had died in battle, the other who had been a friend from a former existence.  
Rosie and Marius moved to the South, to a small house just on the edge of the Blue Wood. It was quiet and peaceful and they adored it. They were within a couple of days journey of both Vaniria and Aesina and yet it felt as if they were in their own little world. Hardly surprising then, with little to distract them, that they were soon sharing their home with not only one daughter but expecting another. Their first child, Éponine, was born within six months of the quest finishing. Their next was expected the following Spring and Marius was fully throwing himself into the role of doting father while Rosie was thoroughly enjoying the role of pampered wife and mother.  
In the meantime, Lucy and Martin had headed up to the North of Vaniria, to the lake country. Moving to a small French speaking village with views of the mountains outside their windows. It was as close to Artigat as Martin could have hoped for, he spent most of his time helping Lucy perfect her French in between her daily walks into the surrounding countryside to paint and draw, usually next to the nearby Lake Serene. A name they were both considering if the child she was expecting to arrive sometime during the coming Winter turned out to be a girl.  
Following an invitation to do so, Amos and Jenny had moved into the mountains, to live amongst Ishtar and her people underneath the snow capped peaks. They had also become parents following the end of the quest. To Amos' joy Jenny had given birth to triplets, admitted at the time Jenny had been a little less than joyful after the first two births to discover it wasn't quite over but all that had been forgotten as soon as she was holding the three of them in her arms, Amos' cheek resting on her head and his arms around her. The two boys, Jean and Jacques, and the little girl, Juliette, all had their mothers curly blonde hair and their fathers broad smile.  
Back in Vivons, Bertrande and Mark had chosen to settle down. Mark taking over the tavern when Pierre returned to Aesina to re-open 'The Sword and Stone'. A job he loved and that reminded him of his time spent in Paris, quite possibly why their first son was named Grant, after his fellow tavern owner Grantaire. He had Mark's dark hair and Bertrande's large pale blue eyes. As soon as he could walk he was helping Mark in the tavern, collecting glasses (one at a time but every bit of help counts, reasoned Mark) and wiping down tables alongside his father. Bertrande laughed to watch the pair of them fall asleep by the fire once the last of the customers had left. But she had put her foot down when she had discovered that they were expecting a brother or sister for Grant that this child would stay out of the tavern.  
Back in Vaniria, Jo and Guillaume had much to keep them busy. Their wedding was being postponed until they felt that the kingdom was free from potential problems. This involved the pair of them travelling around the countryside, investigating possible bands of Obsequious' supporters and trying to re-forge links with other countries and communities that had been destroyed when Incubus had invaded all those years ago.  
This had meant that they hadn't seen much of each other, Jo travelling with Dedra and Guillaume with Mithras, but everyday was a day closer to when they could return to Vaniria, to _stay_. They both were hoping to back in the castle for Winter and hoped to married before the end of the next year. But they _had_ been saying that for the last year and so far, every attempt they had made to start the plans for the wedding had been interrupted by another report of an attacked village or some other disturbance.  
However, it had meant that not only had Mithras helped Guillaume to master the reading and writing he'd never been able to learn before, but Guillaume had also become quite an accomplished letter writer and he and Jo kept in almost constant contact, sometimes sending several letters a day. Letters of hope and love and plans for what they'd be able to do when they _finally_ got married. Hopefully sooner, rather then later.

Much had happened to the friends, and it was very likely that the future held many more adventures for them in the countries that they now called home.

But that would be yet another story…


End file.
